By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday said the Centre will file an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday on its plans to deport Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar. “We will file the affidavit in the Supreme Court on September 18,” he told the media on the sidelines of a function at the CGO Complex here.
The Supreme Court had asked the Union government to file an affidavit on the issue following a plea against the deportation of illegal Rohingya immigrants to Myanmar. Rajnath’s assertion comes a day after confusion prevailed in media circles on whether the government had filed an affidavit to the effect following some technical glitches.
The affidavit was supposed to be filed on the last date of hearing in the matter but the government sought time till Monday. However, the copy of the affidavit prepared by the foreigners division of the Home Ministry did the rounds in media circles. A spokesperson had Thursday said the affidavit was being finalised.
The apex court is hearing a petition filed by two Rohingya immigrants — Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir — who are registered as refugees under the United Nations High Commission of Refugees. In the petition, the duo claimed to have taken refuge in India after fleeing from Myanmar due to discrimination and violence against the community there.
The petition came after the Home Ministry had in July said illegal immigrants such as Rohingyas posed grave security challenges since they might be recruited by terror groups. The ministry had directed states to set up a task force at the district level to identify and deport illegally-staying foreign nationals, including Rohingyas.
