NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday denied allegations that Rohingyas living in refugee camps were denied health care at government medical establishments. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, “There is not a single reported case in which Indians or non-Indians are denied treatment. In fact, any person living in India is not denied permission for medical care.”
The response came on a plea filed by two Rohingya refugees to ensure health and educational facilities for them.Mehta also questioned the interest of the PIL petitioners in the Rohingya cause and said, “There is a spate of PILs. What is the genesis of these PILs?”Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioners, responded, “The interest of humanity.”
“We will not pass any interim order with regard to ensuring health and educational facilities for Rohingya refugees unless the petitioners bring some material contradicting the claims of the Centre,” the bench said while slating the next hearing for April 9.
During the hearing, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioners, said the petitioners were only asking for toilets, drinking water, and access to medical care and education.The ASG replied, “These are issues better left to diplomatic solutions.”The Rohingyas, who fled to India after violence in Rakhine state in Myanmar, are settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.