INDIA has shunned its reputation of being democratic, generous and hospitable country. They have decided to strengthen their security along the largely porous eastern border with Bangladesh and is using “chilli and stun grenades” to block the entry of Rohingya Muslims fleeing from violence in their homeland of Myanmar. Border forces in Hindu-majority India, which wants to deport around 40,000 Rohingyas already living in the country, citing security risks. The BSF men have been authorised to use “rude and crude” methods to stop any infiltration attempts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu ultra-nationalist government is growing increasingly hostile towards the helpless Rohingyas in India, with Home Minister Rajnath Singh calling on Thursday for their deportation as illegal migrants. Seeking to get legal clearance for the deportation plan, the Home Ministry told the Supreme Court this week it would confidentially provide it with intelligence information showing Rohingya links with Pakistan-based militants.
Most of the peace-loving refugees had no link to criminal activity, two Rohingya men protesting against the deportation move told India’s top court on Friday. An official of India’s federal investigations agency said it was seeking help from Muslim religious leaders to step up surveillance against the Rohingyas. India’s stance with Myanmar is quite shocking, after the International Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal declared Myanmar government guilty of genocide against the Rohingya people and other Muslim minorities. On record, India is one of the signatories of the UNHCR Convention which does not permit to push back refugee people victims of social disturbance and military escalation. Unfortunately, the Rohingya Muslims are victims of both aggressions.
India is even considering supplying arms to Myanmar government, two sides also talked about training Myanmar sailors on top of the courses taught to its army officers at elite Indian defense institutions. Surprisingly, a fresh violence occurred again in Rakhine State on Friday, where twenty homes were set on fire and a bomb was detonated near a mosque.
Mentionable, Britain has suspended its training program for the Myanmar military, demanding it take steps to end the violence against civilians.
Indian government led by Modi openly showing their aggressive intent towards Muslims, which no other Indian government had done before. If they are scared of the creation of Islamic terrorist group using Rohingyas, then they should show documents and must not act on mere guess estimates.
Rohingyas are stateless people; all they want is their legal citizenship right. We cannot understand why it is so difficult to ask the racist Myanmar government to give the Rohingyas their legal rights? India, who claims to be a big democracy, should use its good office to mend Myanmar to accept the bare birth rights of the minority Rohingyas and allow them to enjoy all rights as a citizen there.
