No Rohingya Muslim immigrant was deported from India in last three years: Government

The Rohingyas, who fled to India after violence in the western Rakhine State of Myanmar, have settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.

Shamsul Alam, a refugee, teaching children and adults at Rohingya refugee camp at Balapur in Hyderabad on Friday | R Satish Babu

NEW DELHI: India has not deported any Rohingya immigrant in the past three years, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

"As per available information, approximately 330 Pakistani and approximately 1,770 Bangladeshi nationals have been deported during the last three years. No Rohingya immigrant has been deported during the last three years," Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said in a written reply.

The Rohingyas, who fled to India after violence in the western Rakhine State of Myanmar, have settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.

Illegal migrants enter into the country without valid travel documents in clandestine and surreptitious manner.

Therefore, it is not possible to have a correct estimate of such illegal migrants, including Bangladeshi nationals, residing in the country, he said.

Some instances of violation of the law and involvement in illegal activities by foreign nationals have been reported, the minister said.

"Registration of cases and action thereon comes within the purview of the police stations and state governments/ Union territory administrations concerned. Statistical data of this nature is not centrally maintained," Rijiju said.

Central government is vested with powers to deport a foreign national under section 3(2)(c) of the Foreigners Act, 1946.

These powers to identify and deport illegally staying foreign nationals have also been delegated to the state governments/Union territory administrations and the Bureau of Immigration under the Foreigners Act, 1946.

"Detection and deportation of such illegal immigrants is a continuous process," he said.

Rijiju said the procedure includes sending back then and there the illegal immigrants who are intercepted at the border while entering India unauthorisedly.

The central government is also implementing a mission mode project on Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration and Tracking which will facilitate improved tracking of foreigners by integrating and sharing information captured during visa issuance at missions, during immigration check at the immigration check posts and during registration at the offices of the Foreigners Regional Registration Officers, the minister said.

"Law enforcement agencies also maintain a strict vigil on the activities of foreigners in the country and take appropriate action in cases of any illegal activities," he said.