India hits back at UN over Rohingyas, says 'illegal migrants could pose security challenges'

Geneva: Reacting to UN human rights chief's statement on attempts by New Delhi to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar, India on Tuesday said that they were concerned about illegal migrants posing security challenges.

India also said that there appeared to be "inadequate appreciation of the freedoms and rights that are guaranteed and practised daily in a vibrant democracy that has been built under challenging conditions." 

"We are perplexed at some of the observations made by the High Commissioner in his oral update.  There appears to be inadequate appreciation of the freedoms and rights that are guaranteed and practised daily in a vibrant democracy that has been built under challenging conditions. Tendentious judgements made on the basis of selective and even inaccurate reports do not further the understanding of human rights in any society," India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Rajiv K Chander said.

"Like many other nations, India is concerned about illegal migrants, in particular, with the possibility that they could pose security challenges.  Enforcing the laws should not be mistaken for lack of compassion," he added.

Chander further said, "Tendentious judgements made on the basis of selective and even inaccurate reports do not further the understanding of human rights in any society."

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On Monday, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, speaking at the opening of Human Rights Council session in Geneva, had said, "I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country."

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had added, "By virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulement, India cannot carry out collective expulsions or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations."

India's Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju had said on on September 5 that Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported. 

He had also pointed out that nobody should preach New Delhi on the matter as India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world.

Meanwhile, India also said at the UN, "It is also surprising that individual incidents are being extrapolated to suggest a broader societal situation.  India is proud of its independent judiciary, freedom of press, vibrant civil society and respect for rule of law and human rights.  A more informed view would have not only recognized this but also noted, for example, that the Prime Minister himself publicly condemned violence in the name of cow protection.   India does not condone any actions in violation of law and imputations to the contrary are not justified."

This was in reaction to Zeid's statement regarding the killing of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh. He had observed that she "tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred.

He had further said that he was "heartened by the subsequent marches calling for protection of the right to freedom of expression, and by demonstrations in 12 cities to protest the lynchings."

Lankesh was gunned down last week in Bengaluru. Unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen pumped bullets into 55- year-old Gauri as she left her car after reaching her home.

On cow vigilantism, the UN human rights chief had maintained that "the current wave of violent, and often lethal, mob attacks against people under the pretext of protecting the lives of cows is alarming. People who speak out for fundamental human rights are also threatened." 

(With PTI inputs)