New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation MP Raja Ram Singh on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to stop the deportation of refugees and those classified as “declared foreigners”.
In a letter to the PM, Singh expressed “grave concern” over recent actions by the government and said that they contravene the country’s longstanding commitment to the principle of non-refoulement.
“In light of the reports detailing the forcible deportation of 38 Rohingya refugees, including minors, women, the elderly and individuals with serious medical conditions, who were detained in Delhi under the pretext of biometric data collection… these individuals were subsequently thrown into international waters, effectively abandoning them to the risks of the sea,” Singh said.
“Notably, these refugees were registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and had no opportunity to contest their deportation, violating both Indian constitutional protections and international law,” he said.
The CPI(ML) Liberation MP also alleged that in Assam, the state government has “intensified efforts” to identify and deport individuals declared as illegal foreigners by Foreigners’ Tribunals.
“Similarly, according to media reports, more than 2,000 people have been picked up by security agencies from different parts of the country under the suspicion of being Bangladeshis and forcibly pushed back to Bangladesh,” he said.
“Multiple instances have emerged where security agencies have picked up people whose appeals are pending in the Supreme Court against their classification as ‘declared foreigners’. Similarly, reports indicate that these individuals are being pushed into the no-man’s land between India and Bangladesh,” he said.
Singh further said that the action raises significant ethical and legal questions regarding the handling of migrants.
“India has historically adhered to the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the return of individuals to territories where they face threats to their life or freedom. While India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, this principle is enshrined in customary international law and is binding on all states, including India,” he said.
“Such practices are inhumane and they tarnish India’s image. I urge your office to immediately halt all deportations of refugees, including the Rohingyas, and ensure that their safety and rights are upheld,” he said. PTI AO DIV DIV
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