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The Times of India Rijiju to human rights groups on Rohingya issue: Don't spread misinformation about India Sep 18, 2017 NEW DELHI: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday again scolded international human rights groups asking them to not spread "misinformation about India" with relation to the issue of Rohingya refugees in the country. "(I) request international human rights' bodies to not spread misinformation about India and the Indian government, protecting the nation is our duty," said the minister of state for home. The Centre contends that the Rohingya are a "security threat" and "a drain on the country's resources". In an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday, the Centre said it has intelligence inputs about links of some Rohingya Muslims with Pakistan's ISI as well as the Islamic State. It added that militant elements among the Rohingya are active in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mewar and Jammu. "Our way forward will be based on nation's interest... It is a sensitive matter. Whatever the government of India will do, will be in the nation's interest," added Rijiju. Last month, Rijiju slammed these groups for criticising the Centre's move to deport the refugees, calling India "the most humane nation" in the world. He asked the rights groups not to "demonise" India as a country hostile to refugees and said New Delhi is not going to "throw" the Rohingya into the "ocean" or "shoot" them but will follow due process of law before their identification and deportation. Still, it isn't just international rights bodies though who oppose the move to deport the Rohingya refugees who've fled extreme violence against them in Myanmar. India's NHRC is also against the government's plans. The NHRC, in fact, plans to plead in the Supreme Court against Rohingya deportation.
Centre to file reply on plea challenging Rohingyas deportation Sep 18, 2017, 12.55 PM IST NEW DELHI: The Centre today apprised the Supreme Court that it would be filing during the day its response to a PIL challenging deportation of Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud considered the submission of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the central government, that the counter affidavit would be filed today itself. The bench then fixed the PIL and several other interim applications, seeking to intervene in the case for hearing at 2 PM on October 3. The bench, meanwhile, did not issue notice to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which is already seized of the matter and has recently issued notice to the Central government. Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for two Rohingya refugees, submitted that NHRC's response be sought in this matter as the independent rights body is already seized of the issue. The plea, filed by two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who are registered refugees under the United Nations High Commission of Refugees (UNHCR), said they had taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to alleged widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed aged against the community there.
Stop spreading misinformation about India, says Rohingyas issue Kiren Rijiju on Sep 18, 2017 New Delhi: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju hit out at international human rights groups on Monday and asked them to not spread "misinformation about India" in relation to Rohingya refugees issue in the country. "(I) request international human rights' bodies to not spread misinformation about India and the Indian government, protecting the nation is our duty," he said. The Centre had earlier stated that Rohingyas are a threat to national security and a "drain on the country's resources". The Centre in an affidavit to the Supreme Court said that they have intelligence inputs that suggest that some Rohingya Muslims have links with Pakistan's ISI as well as the Islamic State. It also stated that militants elements among the refugees who Hyderabad, Mewar and Jammu. are active in Delhi, "Our way forward will be based on nation's interest... It is a sensitive matter. Whatever the government of India will do, will be in the nation's interest," added Rijiju. In August, the union minister lashed out at these groups over the Centre's move to deport the refugees and said that India is the "most humane nation" in the world. However, it is not just the international rights bodies, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is also against the government's move to deport the Rohingya refugees who've fled the violence in Myanmar. The NHRC has planned to plead in the apex court against the deportation. They have said that they will oppose the move on "humanitarian grounds". "We will intervene in the matter on humanitarian grounds. We are a human rights body and if these persons (Rohingya) are deported back to their country, we see it as a violation of human rights," said NHRC chairperson and former CJI Justice H L Dattu to The Times Of India two days ago. NHRC issued a notice to the to refugees for centuries. It different countries." home ministry last month and said, "India has been home has continued to receive a large number of refugees from
Rohingya refugees illegal, pose security threat: GoI tells SC September 19, 2017 The Government of India (GoI) Monday told the SupremeCourt that Rohingya Muslims are "illegal" immigrants in thecountry and their continued stay posed "serious national security ramifications". The GoI saffidavit, filed in the apex court Registry,said the fundamental right to reside and settle in any part ofthe country is available to citizens only and illegal refugeescannot invoke the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to enforcethe right. Earlier during the day, a bench headed by Chief JusticeDipakMisra considered the statement of ASG Tushar Mehta,representing the GoI, that the reply would be filed latertoday and fixed the PIL challenging the deportation ofrohingyas for hearing on October 3. "As evident from the constitutional guarantee flowingfrom Article 19 of the Constitution, the right to reside andsettle in any part of the territory of India as well as rightto move freely throughout the territory of India is availableonly to the citizens of India.No illegal immigrant can prayfor a writ of this Court which directly or indirectly conferthe fundamental rights in general," the affidavit filed bythe Ministry of Home Affairs said. The GoIsaid the Rohingya refugees were illegals andtheir continuous stay pose a grave security threat. "It is submitted that continuance of Rohingyas' illegalimmigration into India and their continued stay in India,apart from being absolutely illegal, is found to be havingserious national security ramifications and has serioussecurity threats," it said. The government said it may file in sealed cover thedetails of the inputs gathered by thevarious security agencies in this matter. security threats and The GoIsaid since India is not a signatory tothe Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1951, theobligations concerned to non-refoulement is not applicable. "That the provisions of Convention Relating to the Statusof Refugees, 1951 and Protocol Relating to the Status ofrefugees, 1967 cannot be relied upon by the petitioner since India is not a signatory of either of them. It is respectfullysubmitted that the obligation concerning the prohibition ofreturn/non-refoulement is a codified provision under the provisions of 1951 Convention referred to above.it is submitted that this obligation is binding only inrespect of the States which are parties to the Convention.Since India is not a party to the said Convention, or the saidprotocol, the obligations contained therein are not applicableto India," it said.
The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, did not issue notice to the National HumanRights Commission (NHRC), which is already seized of thematter and had on August 18 issued notice to the Centre. The plea, filed by two Rohingya immigrants, MohammadSalimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who are registered refugeesunder the United Nations High Commission of Refugees (UNHCR), said they had taken refuge in India after escaping frommyanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence andbloodshed against the community there. The attacks allegedly by Myanmaresearmymen haveled to an exodus of Rohingyatribals from the western Rakhinestate in that country to India and Bangladesh. Many of thosewho had fled to India after the earlier spate of violence,were settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan. The plea said that India has ratified and is a signatoryto various conventions that recognise the Principle of "Non-Refoulement', which prohibits deportation of refugees to acountry where they may face threat to their lives. The government has recently raised "serious concern" overreports of renewed violence and attacks in Myanmar andextended its "strong" support to the Myanmarese government at this "challenging moment".
Rights body, pension dept flay aviation ministry for withholding employees retirement benefits There are 1,600 more people working in this government sector, unsure for the past 31 years if they will ever get a pension when they retire. Sep 19, 2017 The National Human Right Commission (NHRC) and the Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare (DoP&PW) have slammed the civil aviation ministry for not extending retirement benefits to its employees. Rejecting ministry s claim that it was taking time to decide the modalities of disbursal, the NHRC on Monday orderedd it to immediately make payment of provisional pension to these retired employees because it is a matter of violation of their rights to life under Article 21 of Constitution of India. The DoP&PW, a constitutional body under the PMO, has also alleged that the ministry was disregarding its advice and denying pension to its employees. HT had reported on August 17 that 700 civil aviation employees were deprived retirement benefits by ministry because of various reasons, including wrong interpretation of labour laws. There are 1,600 more people working in this government sector who were unsure if they will get benefits when they retire. The employees had joined the National Airport Authority, the Airport Authority of India s (AAI) predecessor, in 1986 on deputation from the civil aviation department and the director general of civil aviation (DGCA). In 1989, they became permanent employees of the NAA, and were absorbed in the new entity when NAA became AAI in 1995. Employees alleged that on August 14, 1995, the AAI issued an illegal office memorandum which made them ineligible for pension. The civil aviation ministry admitted its mistake in October 2016 but said that it would decide the financial impact and modalities of disbursal. The NHRC held that the process of deciding modalities is time consuming and employees should not be left waiting in such circumstances. The secretary, MOCA should finalise the modalities urgently and make payment of regular pension and pensionary benefit to these employees not later than six months, directed the NHRC.
RN Choubey, secretary, ministry of civil aviation, didn t offer any comment, however, employees and widows waiting for pensions for more than 20 years allege that even almost a month since the NHRC direction, the ministry doesn t seem to be in a mood to pay any heed.