Play a diplomatic role

This is with reference to Nafees Ahmad’s article, “Rohingyas flee Myanmar: India must drop religious criteria in refugee law” (September 6). Rohingyas, originally from Bangladesh, migrated to Myanmar, but are now fleeing the country as they say they are being persecuted and allegedly due to their anti-social activities, according to a majority of Buddhists. It is essentially a matter between the Rohingyas, Bangladesh and Myanmar, in which other Muslim-majority countries in the region such as Indonesia, Malaysia could help by brokering peace.

India is already facing the problem of the influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, who could alter the demography of border states such as Assam. It is easy for professors, judges and liberals to speak of humanitarianism from their ivory towers. When it comes to accepting refugees, national interest takes precedence over utopian principles. It is not as if India is an underpopulated country with vacant lands overflowing with milk, honey and other natural resources that it should welcome refugees with open arms.

What happened in 1971 was different. At that time, the Pakistan Army committing genocide on its eastern wing, resulting in the influx of millions of Bangla-speaking refugees into India, followed by a war between the two countries. Despite winning the war decisively, India had to pay a heavy economic price; it is still facing the scourge of terrorism from across the border.

Refugees the world over find it difficult to integrate into the culture of the countries providing them asylum. Germany, France and Italy, which have liberal refugee laws, are facing the brunt of Islamic terrorism. India, with its own problems of poverty and overpopulation, should not get embroiled in the Rohingya crisis, rather, play a diplomatic role, if its services are sought. As the saying goes, “charity begins at home”.