India Begins Deporting Illegal Rohingyas After Supreme Court Rejects Prashant Bhushan’s Plea

India will deport seven Rohingya Muslims, who had entered into the country illegally, back to Myanmar today, Reuters has reported. A report in the Times of India said that India is deporting them after the government of Myanmar verified their addresses and issued them travel permits. It adds that the seven Rohingyas will be handed over to Myanmar authorities at the border crossing in Manipur’s Moreh.

A bench headed by new Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, son of former Assam Chief Minister and Congress leader, dismissed Left activist Prashant Bushan’s petition to stop the deportation of the seven Rohingyas.

An estimated 40,000 Rohingyas are living illegally in India. The government has said that Rohingyas pose a national security threat and are spreading across India. Last year, the government ordered states to identify and deport Rohingyas.

“This is a routine procedure, we deport all illegal foreigners,” said Bhaskar Jyoti Manta, additional director general of police in Assam.

The United Nations has called it a violation of International law. Left-leaning activists in India have also been trying to stall the government’s move, reports say. Last year, multiple activists had moved the Supreme Court against the Narendra Modi government’s decision to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar.