Granting more time to all the parties to argue on the Rohingya Muslims deportation case, the Supreme Court on Friday posted the matter for further hearing on November 21. The court also observed that no Rohingya refugees should be deported until the next date of hearing in the case.
The SC said the Rohingya Muslims issue is of great magnitude and the State has a big role to play. It allowed the petitioners to approach it in case of any contingency.
“The national importance cannot be secondary and at the same time human rights of Rohingyas should be kept in mind,” said the three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.
'We have to strike a balance. It is not an ordinary case. The issue involves human rights of many," the bench said.
Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that "this is an issue involving international ramifications".
The apex court earlier asked Centre and two Rohingya Muslims, who have challenged to deport refugees to Myanmar, to desist from making emotional arguments and personal attacks and to file documents, including international conventions.
The plea was filed by two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, claims they had taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there.
On Thursday, a group of eminent personalities urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to not deport Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers, saying a proposal that the entire community is a threat to national security is based on "false assumption".
In an open letter, 51 prominent names including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, former home minister P Chidambaram, former Union home secretary G K Pillai among others, observed that as an aspiring global leader, India cannot afford to adopt a "shortsighted approach".
"India's justification to deport the Rohingyas to Myanmar is premised on the false assumption that all of them present a potential threat to national security. This is simply not the case and the evidence to support these assertions have not held up," read the letter.
Details are awaited...
