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India refuses to sign Bali declaration against Myanmar’s persecution of Rohingyas

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9 years ago

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Rohingya Muslims

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Indian delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan says Parliamentary Forum was for sustainable development goals, reference to Myanmar on violence in Rakhine state “unjustified”

At a time when leading countries from across the globe have condemned the ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, India refused to sign a declaration at the World Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development held at Nusa Dua in Indonesia, on Thursday, because it urged all participating countries to “respect the human rights of all people in Rakhine state (the epicenter of violence against Rohingyas)”.

The decision of the Indian parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to not sign the Bali declaration, on Thursday, can be seen as an extension of the stand taken by India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first bilateral talks with Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday.

The joint statement issued by India and Myanmar after the bilateral talks between the two leaders had predictably glossed over the atrocities on the Rohingya Muslims – term that neither establishments recognise in official dialogue, choosing instead to call it an issue of illegal immigrants or developments in the Rakhine state.

The joint statement had said: “India condemned the recent terrorist attacks in northern Rakhine State, wherein several members of the Myanmar security forces lost their lives. Both sides agreed that terrorism violates human rights and there should, therefore, be no glorification of terrorists as martyrs. They called on the international community to end selective and partial approaches to combating terrorism and, in this regard, jointly called for the expeditious finalization and adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism by the United Nations General Assembly.” In effect, India stood by Myanmar on its justification of the violence against Rohingya Muslims – one of the most persecuted ethnic minorities in the world.

Expectedly then, the Indian parliamentary delegation distanced itself from the Bali declaration on Thursday as being a signatory to it would have meant that India was going back on its assurances to Myanmar during the bilateral talks.

The Bali declaration, which had called on all parties to contribute to restoring stability and security in the region, had urged everyone to “exercise maximum self-restraint from using violent means, respect the human rights of all people in Rakhine state regardless of their faith and ethnicity, as well as facilitate and guarantee safe access for humanitarian assistance.”

Sumitra Mahajan

The Indian delegation claimed that: “The country-specific amendment to the draft declaration was proposed at the eleventh hour by selective countries which referred to the violence in Rakhine state of Myanmar. India argued that specifying a particular country is unjustified as this Forum is focused on SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and inclusive development for all countries based on cooperative and collaborative approach to achieve the 2030 Agenda for the world.”

A statement issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat to explain the delegation’s rationale for not signing the declaration said: “This was in view of the fact that the declaration, which was to be adopted at the conclusion of the forum, was not in line with the agreed global principles of sustainable development.”

“Never before country-specific issues have been included in the declaration as these dilute the objective of these Forums which require unity and focused efforts of all the countries,” the statement added.

The diplomatic parlance of the Indian establishment over its decision to not sign the declaration aside, the fact is that India has been trying to shut its doors on the Rohingya Muslims who are fleeing Myanmar amid mass killings of members of the community by the Myanmar Army. The Narendra Modi government has also been consistent in its stand of calling the Rohingyas “illegal immigrants” and officially maintaining that they must be sent back to their country. There are an estimated 40,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees in India; spread across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Delhi.

Meanwhile, Yanghee Lee, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, has said: “Perhaps about a thousand or more are already dead” in the recent spate of violence in the Rakhine state and that while the figure may be indicative of casualties of both – the minorities and the Myanmar Army – but the deaths “would be heavily concentrated on the Rohingya population”.

Aung San

Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi – a Nobel Peace Prize winner – has been facing widespread criticism for her government’s tacit support for the killing of the Rohingyas, with many even calling for a case to be filed against her at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to try her for condoning hate crimes, violence and killings.

On Thursday, Suu Kyi said: “The issue (Rohingya Muslims) is one of the biggest challenges Myanmar has to face, because you know that the situation in Rakhine has been difficult for many decades and in fact it goes right back to pre-colonial times… It is a little unreasonable to expect that the issue can be resolved in 18 months as you know that our administration has been in power for the last 18 months.”

Suu Kyi, whose government has not allowed a delegation led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to visit the Rakhine state to ascertain the extent of the human rights violation, said: “We are implementing recommendations given by former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan as quickly as possible to create harmony and peace in the Rakhine state. Our recommendation is harmony and we shall be addressing it quickly”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Fire in ICU at SCB medical college hospital in Cuttack kills 10 patients

Ten patients died after a fire broke out in the trauma ICU at SCB medical college hospital in Cuttack early Monday morning. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced compensation and ordered a judicial probe.

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3 mins ago

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March 16, 2026

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A major fire at the trauma care intensive care unit (ICU) of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, early Monday morning left ten patients dead and several hospital staff members injured.

According to officials, the fire broke out between 2:30 am and 3:00 am in the trauma ICU where critically ill patients were undergoing treatment. Emergency teams rushed to the scene soon after the incident, and multiple fire engines were deployed to control the blaze and assist in rescue operations.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said hospital staff were injured while evacuating patients from the affected ward during the emergency.

Patients shifted as rescue operations continued

Following the fire, 23 patients were moved to other departments and wards within the hospital to ensure their safety and continued medical care.

Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said seven critically ill patients died while being shifted to other ICUs and wards, while three more succumbed later.

“A total of 23 patients have been shifted to other departments. Seven serious patients died while shifting to other ICUs and wards, while another three patients died later. I have directed the concerned officers for proper treatment of the injured patients,” Majhi said.

Chief minister visits hospital, announces compensation

Soon after the incident, Majhi visited the hospital along with Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling to review the situation. They also met patients who were undergoing treatment at the facility.

The Chief Minister announced financial assistance of ₹25 lakh for the families of each deceased patient.

He also ordered a judicial probe into the incident to determine the cause of the fire and examine safety measures at the hospital.

Authorities continue to monitor the condition of injured staff members and patients who were shifted from the ICU.

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Arvind Kejriwal moves Supreme Court against Delhi High Court order in excise policy case

Arvind Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court challenging a Delhi High Court order related to proceedings in the excise policy case and alleging violation of his fundamental rights.

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13 mins ago

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March 16, 2026

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Arvind Kejriwal

Aam Aadmi Party chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court of India challenging certain proceedings in the Delhi excise policy case and alleging a violation of his fundamental rights.

In a petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, Kejriwal has questioned a decision of the Delhi High Court that put a freeze on remarks related to the investigation conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The petition also challenges an order of the High Court Chief Justice rejecting Kejriwal’s request to transfer the case to another bench.

Plea seeks change of bench

Earlier, on March 11, Kejriwal and several others submitted a representation to Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya seeking reassignment of the case to what they described as an “impartial” judge.

In the representation, Kejriwal stated that he had a “grave, bona fide and reasonable apprehension” that the matter may not receive an impartial hearing before the current bench.

However, the Chief Justice declined the request and said the petition had been assigned as per the existing roster.

According to the communication sent by the High Court’s Registrar General on March 13 to eight individuals including Kejriwal, the Chief Justice noted that any decision on recusal must be taken by the judge hearing the matter and that there was no reason to transfer the petition administratively.

Order on trial court proceedings also challenged

Kejriwal has also challenged a March 9 order passed by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court.

In that order, Justice Sharma had stayed a trial court direction that called for an investigation into a CBI officer who handled the excise policy case. The High Court had also asked the trial court to defer proceedings connected to the anti-money laundering aspect of the case.

Justice Sharma had further rejected certain observations made by the trial court while discharging Kejriwal and 22 others, stating that some of those remarks were erroneous.

Hearing expected on CBI plea

Meanwhile, Justice Sharma is scheduled to hear a petition filed by the CBI challenging the discharge of Kejriwal, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others in the excise policy case.

The matter remains under judicial consideration as the legal challenge now moves to the Supreme Court.

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Rajya Sabha elections Voting begins for 37 seats across 10 states

Voting for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections is underway for 37 seats across 10 states, with polling from 9 am to 4 pm and counting scheduled at 5 pm.

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20 mins ago

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March 16, 2026

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Polling for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections is being held on Monday for 37 seats across 10 states, with voting taking place between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.

The counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm, after polling concludes. Authorities have issued detailed guidelines and deployed observers to ensure that the voting process takes place smoothly and in a transparent manner.

Seats across 10 states going to polls

The elections are being conducted to fill vacancies in the Upper House from several states. The 37 seats up for election are distributed across the following states:

  • Maharashtra – 7 seats
  • Tamil Nadu – 6 seats
  • Bihar – 5 seats
  • West Bengal – 5 seats
  • Odisha – 4 seats
  • Assam – 3 seats
  • Telangana – 2 seats
  • Chhattisgarh – 2 seats
  • Haryana – 2 seats
  • Himachal Pradesh – 1 seat

These biennial elections are held as sitting members of the Rajya Sabha complete their six-year terms.

Key leaders completing their terms

Several prominent members of the Upper House are set to complete their terms in April, leading to the current round of elections.

Among them are Union Ministers Ramnath Thakur and Ramdas Athawale, along with Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh.

Other leaders whose terms are ending include Sharad Pawar, Upendra Kushwaha, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, M Thambidurai, and Tiruchi Siva.

Election Commission guidelines for voting

The Election Commission has issued specific instructions for voting during the Rajya Sabha elections.

MLAs participating in the election must use only the integrated violet sketch pen supplied by the Returning Officer to mark their preferences on ballot papers. The use of any other pen is not permitted.

Observers appointed by the Commission will monitor the polling process closely to ensure that the elections are conducted freely and fairly across all participating states.

With polling underway and counting scheduled later in the evening, results are expected to clarify the new composition of the Upper House.

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