English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

SC to decide Rohingya deportation case on “points of law”, not “emotional arguments”

Published

9 years ago

on

Rohingya

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Govt argues – if Rohingya refugees stay put in India, labour rates would become so low that Indians would suffer”

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, said it would hear the bunch of petitions filed before it on the issue of deportation of Rohingya Muslims only on the “points of law” and asked the parties – Centre and other petitioners – to desist from advancing “emotional arguments”, noting that the case that concerns “humanitarian cause and humanity” requires to be heard with “mutual respect”.

The Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices DY Chandrachud and AM Khanwilkar also rejected the Centre’s contention that the issue of deporting Rohingya “illegal migrant” to Myanmar was outside the remit of the judiciary. “I, for one, believe, from my past experience of 40 years, that when a petition like this comes to us under Article 32 of the Constitution, the court should be very slow in abdicating its jurisdiction,” Chief Justice Dipak Misra said.

The Bench instead asked the Union government to answer if India can live up to its international commitments and protect Rohingya women, children, the sick and the old who are “really suffering”?

“The concern for humanitarian cause and humanity should come with mutual respect,” the Bench said, while asking the Centre and two Rohingya petitioners to compile all documents and international conventions for its assistance.

The Myanmarese government has given its conditional consent to taking back some of the Rohingya refugees, but that issue did not come up in the hearing on Tuesday, possibly because of a lack of clarity on the assurance.

Three senior advocates have sought the Supreme Court’s direction to the Centre against any move to deport the Rohingya refugees on the ground that the ethnic minority will face imminent threat of persecution in their homeland.

Senior counsel Fali S Nariman referred to the affidavit filed by Government of India in which the Centre has dubbed the Rohingya refugees as a “threat to national security”.  Nariman countered the government’s plan to deport Rohingyas saying: “We have been accepting refugees for ages. This problem is not just with the Union of India, but with all the states as well. The major issue in the affidavit is that the government has already ordered all the states to identify all Rohingya immigrants who crossed the boundary of India illegally, to identify them and deport them expeditiously.”

A legal luminary of international repute, Nariman, who introduced himself to the Bench as a refugee from British Burma (now Myanmar), submitted that the fundamental right to life enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution protected all “persons”, including refugees who fled persecution in their native countries.

He said the obligation to grant asylum was universal. “The Government of India has constantly made efforts to substantiate, enhance the rights of refugees. TheAugust 8 communication (the affidavit filed by the Centre in the SC on the Rohingya issue) is totally contradictory to Article 14. It sticks out like a sore thumb in our nation’s policy towards protecting refugees.”

Nariman informed the court that in December 2011 the then UPA government had sent a document to all the states, saying that the Union government was considering amending all the laws related to refugees in which procedures of getting Indian citizenship will be simplified.

The bench said: “This is the first time we are dealing with a case of this nature. The children and women are really suffering in a harsh environment. India should take certain steps to (ensure the safety of) the large body of humanity.”

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, however, countered prayers for allowing Rohingyas to stay put in India saying: “If the government allows them, the labour rate will become so cheap that our citizens will start suffering.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

Amit Shah praises Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, says Nation above post

Amit Shah hailed Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister, saying BJP places the nation and students above any position while highlighting the government’s commitment to examination reforms.

Published

13 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday praised Dharmendra Pradhan’s decision to step down as Union Education Minister, saying the move reflected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment to placing the nation and students above any political position.

In a post on X, Shah said that for BJP workers, the country, its youth and students are more important than any office. He described Pradhan’s resignation as an example of the party’s guiding principle of prioritising national interest over personal ambition.

Shah highlights government’s focus on exam reforms

Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government respects the sentiments of students and remains committed to strengthening the examination system following concerns over alleged paper leaks.

He said the Centre has introduced strict measures to ensure severe punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks and expressed confidence that these steps would deliver justice to students who cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Praises Pradhan’s work as Education Minister

Recalling Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure, Shah highlighted several initiatives undertaken during his time in the Education Ministry. He credited Pradhan with helping implement the National Education Policy (NEP), expanding PM SHRI schools, promoting digital education, strengthening skill development and improving coordination between industry and academic institutions.

Shah also said Pradhan worked towards making examinations more inclusive and student-centric, adding that his tenure reflected his commitment to the vision of a developed India.

Resignation follows NEET controversy

Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation comes amid nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and growing demands for accountability.

The resignation has triggered political reactions across party lines. While opposition parties have described the development as a result of sustained student protests, BJP leaders have projected it as an example of accountability and commitment to national interest.

Continue Reading

India News

Assam flood death toll rises to 66, over 6.5 lakh people still affected

Assam’s flood situation improved slightly on Saturday, but more than 6.54 lakh people remain affected in six districts. Four fresh deaths have pushed the state’s flood toll to 66.

Published

14 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Assam floods

The flood situation in Assam showed marginal improvement on Saturday, though the disaster continued to impact more than 6.54 lakh people across six districts. Four more deaths were reported during the day, taking the total number of fatalities in this year’s floods to 66.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three of the latest deaths were reported from Sivasagar district, while one person lost their life in Charaideo.

The number of affected people declined from over 7.05 lakh across nine districts on Friday to 6,54,800 across six districts on Saturday, indicating a gradual improvement in the overall situation.

Sivasagar remains the worst-hit district

Among the affected districts, Sivasagar continues to be the worst hit, with nearly 2.9 lakh people impacted by the floods. Charaideo follows with around 1.9 lakh affected residents, while more than 1.3 lakh people remain affected in Jorhat.

The other districts still facing flood-related challenges are Dibrugarh, Golaghat and Nagaon.

Relief operations continue across affected areas

The ASDMA said the state administration is operating 274 relief camps and aid distribution centres across the affected districts. Around 18,902 displaced people are currently taking shelter at these facilities.

The latest daily bulletin also stated that floodwaters have inundated 810 villages across the state, while 34,970.8 hectares of agricultural land have suffered damage.

Rivers flowing above danger level

The floods have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in several areas.

Authorities said the Dikhou River in Sivasagar and the Dhansiri River at Numaligarh are flowing above the danger level, and officials continue to closely monitor the situation.

Continue Reading

India News

UP Government forms new SIT led by 3 IPS officers to probe Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft

The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a new SIT led by three IPS officers to investigate the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case in Ayodhya following Supreme Court directions.

Published

14 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Ram Mandir

The Uttar Pradesh government has reconstituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IG Kiran S, with DIG Somen Verma and SSP Dr Gaurav Grover as members, to investigate the alleged theft of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. 

The move comes after directions from the Supreme Court, which sought a reconstituted investigation team to ensure an independent and comprehensive probe into the allegations.

The newly formed SIT is expected to continue the investigation and submit a status report before the Supreme Court on July 27.

Senior IPS officers to lead the probe

According to the state government, the investigation will now be supervised by senior IPS officers.  The revamped SIT has been tasked with examining all aspects of the alleged embezzlement of temple donations and carrying the investigation forward.

The Supreme Court had observed that criminal investigations and technical examination of theft-related cases are more effectively handled by experienced police officers, leading to the reconstitution of the SIT under senior IPS leadership.

Probe to continue under court supervision

The case relates to the alleged embezzlement of offerings (chadhava) donated by devotees at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court is monitoring the investigation and will review the SIT’s status report at the next hearing.

Authorities are expected to continue examining evidence collected during the earlier stages of the investigation as the newly constituted SIT proceeds with the case.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com