WB Commission for Protection of Child Rights moves SC seeking protection for Rohingyas

West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights on 21 September approached the Supreme Court seeking protection for Rohingyas.

The petition, filed by Commission's Chairperson Ananya Chakraborty, has been accepted for hearing and is expected to be heard on 3 October.

In her petition, she has stated that the entire Rohingya community can't be branded as 'terrorist'.

Earlier on September 18, the Centre had filed an affidavit in the apex court on the deportation of Rohingya Muslim from India while terming them a threat to national security.

The Centre had told the top court that Rohingya refugees pose a big security threat as many of them have links with terror organisations and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The government in its 16-page affidavit expressed fear of violence against Buddhists living in India by radicalised Rohingyas.

"Some Rohingyas are indulging in illegal and anti national activities such as mobilisation of funds through hundi or hawala channels, procurring fake or fabricated Indian identity documents for other Rohingyas and also indulging in human trafficking," the Centre said in the affidavit.

"Illegal influx of Rohingyas, in significant numbers, has started into the territory of India since 2012-13 and the Central Government has contemporaneous from security agencies inputs and other authentic material indicating linkages of some of the unauthorised Rohingya immigrants with Pakistan-based terror organisations and similar organisations operating in other countries," the Centre said.

The Centre told the top court that it would also file its response to a PIL challenging deportation of the Rohingya Muslims back to Myanmar.

The Rohingya Muslims live in India after fleeing Myanmar over the past decade. Nearly 15,000 have received refugee documentation, according to the United Nations, but India wants to deport them all.

Rohingyas are denied citizenship in the Buddhist-majority Myanmar and regarded as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots that date back centuries. 

-ANI