Organised Influx of Illegal Migrants From Myanmar, Some Rohingya Migrants Have Links With Pak Based Terror Groups: Centre To Delhi HC

The Centre Wednesday informed Delhi High Court that it has "contemporaneous data from security agencies" and inputs indicating that "some unauthorised Rohingya migrants" are linked to Pakistan based terror organisations and similar groups operating in other countries.

The Foreigners Regional Registration Office, Delhi - which has made the submissions on behalf of Union of India also, further told the court that "an organised influx of illegal migrants from Myanmar through agents and facilitating illegal Rohingya migrants" into the country is seriously harming the national security.

"India is already saddled with a very serious problem of illegal migrants and is attempting to address this situation in the larger interest of the nation and keeping the national resources of the Country, requirements of India's own population, the national security concerns of India and several other facts in consideration which are based upon objective facts derived from empirical t:' data which are in the knowledge and contemporaneous record of the Central Government," the FRRO said in the reply.

The submissions have been made in response to a plea filed by a mother of three minor children, who are recognised as refugees from Myanmar by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  The family is aggrieved by the decision of Ministry of Home Affairs and Foreigners Regional Registration Office of refusing their exit permit applications to leave India. 

The Centre in the response also said that due to presence of "illegal immigrants" from the neighbouring countries, the "demographic profile" of some of the bordering states has already undergone "a serious change which is already causing far-reaching complications".

Responding to the family's prayer, the Centre said granting exit permit to "illegal migrants like the Petitioner mother" would have a bearing upon similarly placed cases from other refugees. It has also said that "granting exit to illegal migrants" to a third country would be totally against the existing guidelines.

"It would convey a message that Indian Govt. is supporting or facilitating resettlement of illegal migrants in third countries which would be detrimental to the international relations of Indian Government," the Centre has said.

The Centre has also said that the nexus of touts and agents facilitating movements of illegal migrants shall use the situation to their advantage to further increase influx of more Rohingyas in the country.

"Providing facilities/ privileges to illegal immigrants out of the existing national resources, apart from above referred direct threat to national security, would also have a direct adverse impact upon Indian citizens as it would deprive the Indian citizens of their legitimate share in the employment sector, subsidized housing, medical and educational facilities and would thereby culminate in hostility towards immigrants resulting into an inevitable social tension and law and order problems," the affidavit adds.

It has been stated that such a situation would open a pandora's box for the Indian Government which is already dealing with "menace of illegal migration through its porous borders."

Regarding the aspect of repatriation of petitioner family, Centre has said that as per the procedure, a letter has been sent to the Ministry of External Affairs who would forward the request to the Embassy of Myanmar in New Delhi to verify her Nationality.

"That it is respectfully submitted that the Petitioners, therefore, cannot have any grievance as action is strictly in accordance with law, after following due process of law and is also within the sovereign powers of the country to protect its sovereignty and security," the affidavit states.

Accordingly, Centre has prayed that the plea be dismissed.