NEW DELHI: Children’s education should not face any discrimination, said the Supreme Court on Wednesday, as it directed the petitioner-NGO to submit the detailed address proof of Rohingya immigrants in Delhi.
The Court said it will pass orders to the Centre and the Delhi government to grant Rohingya refugee children in the city access to public schools and hospitals.
"You (petitioner) have to give the colony-wise list of where they (Rohingya refugees) live, etc. We will see what can be done. No child will be discriminated against in education," said a two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh.
The top court passed the order on Wednesday after hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the NGO, which sought a direction to the Centre and Delhi government to ensure that Rohingya refugees could enrol their children in schools and access government benefits without requiring Aadhaar cards or citizenship verification.
While directing the NGO not to disclose the personal details of minor Rohingya children, the apex court fixed the matter for further hearing on February 28.
The PIL sought government benefits and school admissions for Rohingya refugee children, as well as hospital access for all of them, without requiring Aadhaar cards or proof of citizenship status.
During the hearing, the court sought to know where these Rohingya families are living, in whose houses, and what their particulars are. It also clarified that there should be no discrimination in education. "First, the status of residence of the Rohingya families needs to be ascertained," the SC pointed out.
Justice Kant asked the petitioners to provide a list of families, details of the properties, and some proof that the families were living there.
Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the NGO Rohingya Human Rights Initiative, said he had filed an affidavit giving the details and pointed out that the Rohingya refugees have UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) cards registered in their names.
After hearing this, the court said, "That makes things easier for you. You have to give the colony-wise list," it told Gonsalves.
The petition stated that Rohingyas have a right to attend public schools and access public hospitals.