India
Rohingyas illegal immigrants, not refugees: Rajnath
New Delhi: Addressing a seminar organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said that the Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and not refugees who applied for asylum.
Singh asked why some people were objecting to the deportation of Rohingyas when Myanmar was ready to accept them, the PTI reported.
“The Rohingyas are not refugees. They have not come here after following proper procedures. No Rohingya has applied for asylum. They are illegal immigrants,” he said.
According to the PTI report, the home minister also said that India would not violate any international law by deporting Rohingyas as it was not a signatory to the UN Refugees Convention 1951.
The NHRC recently issued a notice to the Centre over its plan to deport Rohingyas, who are residing in various parts of India.
According to the Commission, from the human rights angle its “intervention is appropriate” in the matter, the report said.