Must consider security of Rohingya women, kids, infirms: SC to Centre

NEW DELHI: During the hearing on Rohingya deportation case on Tuesday the Supreme Court commented that, “The security of women, children and infirms must be considered.”

After the MOS Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated to the Parliament that the Centre has directed the State authorities to identify and deport illegal immigrants, including Rohingyas, in the last month the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) filed a writ petition to the apex court against the deportation order of Rohingyas.

The case by WBCPCR was clubbed with another petition- filed by the two Rohingya immigrants, Md. Salimullah and Md. Shaqir was heard by a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Mishra and Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud.

Senior advocate Kalyan Bandyopadhyay represented the WBCPCR in the case while senior advocate Fali S Nariman appeared for two Rohingya immigrants.

Nariman mentioned during his submission, “I am the original refugee from Burma” and had migrated from “British Burma to British India”. He also assailed the Centre’s stand cannot claim protection of their fundamental rights under the Constitution as it would adversely affect the rights of Indian citizens and that the issue was “not justifiable.”

Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said the rejoinder affidavit of two Rohingya petitioners needed to be replied to and moreover, two fresh petitions were filed during the recent court vacation. He also sought listing of the matters on some other date for a detailed hearing and submitted that the government would not like the matter to be heard in a piecemeal manner as it had wide ramifications.