Rohingyas not only pose security risk, but also threaten India's demography, Centre says
The Centre, in its affidavit in the Supreme Court, not only called Rohingya Muslims a threat to security but also raised fears that the community could ultimately change the demographic profile of Indian states.
In Short
- Rohingyas could change India's demography, Centre tells SC
- Allowing them to settle in India could affect rights of citizens: Centre
- There evidence of Rohingyas' links to terrorism: Centre
Apart from terming the Rohingyas a "serious security threat" for their "links" with Pak-based terror groups and ISIS, the Centre on Monday also raised fears that the community may also be gradually effecting a change in demographic profile of several states.
In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court in response to petitions that have challenged the deportation of Rohingyas, the home ministry said several fundamental rights of genuine citizens of the country will be affected if such illegal migrants are allowed to settle wherever they liked in India.
"The scheme of the Constitution makes it very clear that India, as a sovereign nation, has the first and the foremost constitutional duty and obligation towards its citizens to ensure that demographic and social structure of the country is not changed to their detriment," said the affidavit.
"Already due to existing large influx of illegal immigrants from the neighbouring countries, the demographic profile of some of the bordering states has undergone a serious change which is already causing the far-reaching complications in various contexts and is taking its toll and has a direct detrimental effect on the fundamental and basic human rights of country's own citizens," it said.
Reiterating that Rohingyas were a threat to the security of the country, the affidavit said there were clear evidence of their link with Pakistan-based terrorists and the ISIS. "The Centre has inputs and other authentic material indicating linkages of some of the illegal Rohingya immigrants with Pakistan-based terror organisations and similar organisations operating in other countries," it said.
"It is also found by the central government that many of the Rohingyas figure in the suspected sinister designs of ISI/ISIS and other extremists groups who want to achieve their ulterior motives in India, including that of flaring up communal and sectarian violence in sensitive areas of the country," it said.
"Over and above the said serious security concern already in existence, more disturbing part is that there is an organised influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar through agents and touts facilitating illegal immigrants Rohingyas into India via Benapole-Haridaspur (West Bengal), Hilli (West Bengal) and Sonamora (Tripura), Kolkata and Guwahati. This situation is seriously harming the national security of the country", it said.
It also urged SC not to interfere with its plan to deport the Rohingyas, saying it was an "essential executive function by way of a policy decision in larger interest of the country".
It said since it was not a signatory to UN Refugee Convention, it did not have to follow it. On the other hand, the government said under the Foreigners Act 1946 vested an absolute and unfettered discretion in the central government to expel foreigners from India, especially those residing illegally without valid papers like visa.
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