Rohingyas are a serious security threat, staying in India illegally, Centre tells Supreme Court

New Delhi: Amid a global outcry over the deplorable condition of Rohingyas - Myanmar's ethnic minority Muslim community – the Centre on Monday filed its response in the Supreme Court on the issue of their deportation back to their homeland.

In its response, the Centre said ''Rohingyas are a serious security threat'' and are ''staying in India illegally''. The Centre also sought more time to file a detailed response in this regard.

Some Rohingya Muslims have links with Pakistan's ISI as well as the Islamic State, the Centre said in its affidavit filed before the apex court today.

In its 15-page affidavit, the Centre stated that there is an organised network of touts operating in Myanmar and West Bengal and Tripura to facilitate illegal Rohingya influx.

The apex court then gave Centre time till October 3 to file its response to a bunch of petitions filed by the Rohingya Muslims opposing their proposed deportation to Myanmar.

The move comes in the wake of severe criticism from UN Human Rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, who flayed reported attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community is facing violence in their country.

Speaking at the opening of a Human Rights Council session, Zeid said, "I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country."

However, reacting to UN human rights chief's statement on attempts by New Delhi to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar, India said that they were concerned about illegal migrants posing security challenges.

India also said that there appeared to be "inadequate appreciation of the freedoms and rights that are guaranteed and practised daily in a vibrant democracy that has been built under challenging conditions." 

"We are perplexed at some of the observations made by the High Commissioner in his oral update.  There appears to be inadequate appreciation of the freedoms and rights that are guaranteed and practised daily in a vibrant democracy that has been built under challenging conditions. Tendentious judgements made on the basis of selective and even inaccurate reports do not further the understanding of human rights in any society," India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Rajiv K Chander said.

"Like many other nations, India is concerned about illegal migrants, in particular, with the possibility that they could pose security challenges.  Enforcing the laws should not be mistaken for lack of compassion," he added.

Chander further said, "Tendentious judgements made on the basis of selective and even inaccurate reports do not further the understanding of human rights in any society."

Reacting on the issue, MoS Kiren Rijiju today said that the central government's stand to deport Rohingya refugees was in the nation's interest.

Rijiju had said on September 5 said that Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported. 

He had also pointed out that nobody should preach New Delhi on the matter as India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world.