Affidavit has been filed, Supreme Court to take a call on Rohingya Muslims: Rajnath Singh

In a bid to sort of lessen the pressure on the government in the unfold Rohingya crisis, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the final decision will be taken by the Supreme Court. 

"An affidavit has been filed. Whatever decision is to be taken, it will be taken by the court, said Rajnath Singh as quoted by PTI. The Centre on Monday made it clear to SC that Rohingya Muslims are 'illegal' immigrants and pose 'serious national security ramifications'.

It also said that  fundamental right to reside and settle in any part of the country is available to citizens only and illegal refugees cannot invoke the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to enforce the right.

The apex court is hearing a plea filed by two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who are registered as refugees under the United Nations High Commission of Refugees (UNHCR). They claimed that they have taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there. SC will again hear the case on October 3. 

The government had told the parliament on August 9 that according to available data, more than 14,000 Rohingyas, registered with the UNHCR, were staying in India. However, some inputs indicate that around 40,000 undocumented Rohingyas were staying in India, mostly in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan regions. 

India has faced flak from UN for not adequately supporting and planning to deport Rohingya refugees. 

With PTI inputs