Rohingya refugees need to be deported if held foreigners: SC
New Delhi, The Supreme Court on Thursday said if Rohingya refugees in the country were found to be foreigners under Indian laws they will have to be deported.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and N Kotiswar Singh referred to a top court's order and remarked the identity cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees may not be of any help to them under the law.
"If they are foreigners as per the Foreigners Act, then they have to be deported," Justice Datta told senior advocate Colin Gonsalves and advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for different Rohingya petitioners seeking various reliefs.
The top court was informed that some refugees having UNHCR cards, including women and children, were arrested by police authorities late last night and deported, despite a hearing slated on Thursday.
Justice Datta said, "If they are all foreigners and if they are covered by the Foreigners' Act, then they will have to be dealt with as per the Foreigners' Act."
The court decided to hear the matter finally and posted the hearing on July 31.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, referred to the April 8, 2021 order of the court and said it bound the government to take deportation action in accordance with law.
Gonsalves said last night's events were "alarming" and "shocking" as it amounted to overreach of the court's decisions.
Referring to the UNHCR cards, Mehta said India was not a signatory to the refugee convention.
The April 2021 order said the rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 are available to all persons who may or may not be citizens but the right of not to be deported, is ancillary or concomitant to the right to reside or settle in any part of the territory of India guaranteed under Article 19.
During the hearing, Bhushan urged the bench to finally hear the matter saying it was not the Refugee Convention alone which needs to be seen, but also the Genocide Convention which has been ratified by India.
Justice Kant said, "It would be better that instead of passing interlocutory orders of any nature, we take up these matters and decide either way. If they have a right to stay here, that should be acknowledged, and if they don't have a right to stay here, then they will have to follow the procedure and deport as per the law."
When Gonsalves again expressed apprehension of further deportations, Justice Kant said Mehta had assured deportations would happen in line with Indian laws.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
14 minutes ago
- United News of India
Canada visit by PM will provide platform to reset ties: MEA Spokesperson
New Delhi, June 12 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Canada to participate in G7 Summit, which is expected to provide a platform for discussing bilateral and global issues and potentially "reset" ties based on mutual respect, shared interests, and sensitivity to each other's concerns. Besides participating in the G7 Summit, Modi will have a bilateral meeting with his Canadian PM Mark Carney, which will offer an important opportunity for them to exchange views on bilateral and global issues and 'explore pathways to set or reset the relationship based on mutual respect, shared interest and sensitivity to each other's concerns'. This information was shared by External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during his weekly media briefing. He said that Prime Minister Modi had received a call from Canadian Prime Minister Carney last week, during which he extended an invitation to attend the upcoming G7 summit in Kananaskis. 'India and Canada are vibrant democracies, bound by shared democratic values, a steadfast commitment to the rule of law, and strong people-to-people ties,' the spokesperson said. The forthcoming meeting is expected to provide a platform for discussing bilateral and global issues and potentially "reset" ties based on mutual respect, shared interests, and sensitivity to each other's concerns. New Delhi and Toronto have been witnessing a chill in bilateral relations over the last few years, mainly because of support provided to pro-Khalistani elements in Canada. 'Our views on some of these have already been shared publicly in considerable detail,' Jaiswal said. Replying to a question on reinstating expelled diplomats, Jaiswal emphasised that mechanisms for dialogue between Indian and Canadian law enforcement agencies are already in place and have been actively engaging on mutual security issues over time. This engagement, he said, is expected to continue. UNI RBE SSP
New Indian Express
18 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Mathura district administration offers luxury flats to temple priests amid corridor project opposition
LUCKNOW: As the survey of residences and shops in the 22 Kunj Galis (narrow lanes) leading to the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan continues, 30 per cent of it already completed, the Mathura district administration has prepared an elaborate plan to rehabilitate the sevayats, the Goswamis, who have been openly opposing the Banke Bihari Corridor project. The plan includes relocating the sevayats to Rukmani Vihar in Vrindavan. The Goswami community, comprising hereditary priests, has been performing religious and priestly duties at the Banke Bihari temple for centuries. The Supreme Court recently gave the green light to the Banke Bihari Corridor, an ambitious initiative aimed at easing crowd congestion and enhancing the overall pilgrimage experience around the revered shrine. Following this, the state government brought in an ordinance to create a Trust to run the temple and oversee the development of the proposed corridor. After a visit by Awanish Kumar Awasthi, the special advisor to the Chief Minister, to Vrindavan on June 6, the project gained momentum. The Mathura Vrindavan Development Authority (MVDA) is working on a two-pronged strategy: first, conducting a survey of Kunj Galis comprising 286 houses and shops, and second, accelerating the rehabilitation of residents from 188 houses to new luxury flats at Rukmani Vihar and Sunrakh Bangar. The administration hopes that offering better accommodation will help pacify the sevayats.
The Print
26 minutes ago
- The Print
Vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh attack on India's civilisational heritage: BJP
A mob attacked and vandalised the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Tagore in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra called for global denunciation of the incident targeting the legacy of the iconic Indian personality as he described it as a 'preplanned' attack orchestrated by Islamic groups. New Delhi, Jun 12 (PTI) The BJP on Thursday condemned the interim government in Bangladesh for the vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in that country, slamming it as an assault on the very soul of India's rich cultural and civilizational heritage. Patra cited media reports to say that Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam were behind the attack, noting that Tagore is an iconic symbol of Bengal, and Indian culture and civilisation. He also slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for not raising the issue, alleging that she saw infiltrators from the neighbouring Bangladesh as a vote bank and has opted to keep quiet for political reasons. 'She is driven by vote bank politics. We are driven by cultural politics,' Patra said. The interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus has not taken any action, and its conduct has not been appropriate, Patra said. He appealed to the world community to come together against it, adding that his party believes in inclusivity. 'The Bharatiya Janata Party, which stands firmly by the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' issues a global appeal that all nations that uphold the values of morality, cultural integrity, creativity, and civilizational harmony must come together in unequivocal condemnation of this heinous act,' he said. The BJP strongly feels that India's culture and civilization, which stretches beyond national boundaries, has come under attack in Bangladesh. Patra said Tagore, who is called Gurudev out of respect for his immense contribution in different fields, created many of memorable works in this ancestral home, known as Kachharibari. It is also a government museum to respect his legacy. The BJP MP noted that he not only wrote India's national anthem but also that of Bangladesh, which has seen a surge in the activities of Islamic hardlines following the deposition of Sheikh Hasina last year. PTI KR ZMN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
