SC seeks Centre's response on Rohingyas

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the Centre's response on a plea that the BSF was stopping Rohingya refugees from entering India.

Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud sought the response as counsel Prashant Bhushan complained that the Border Security Force was preventing them from crossing the Myanmar border by "sprinkling chilli powder".

Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the court that it should not interfere in the matter as the "constitutionally empowered executive was seized of the matter and the diplomatic process is on to deal with the situation".

Appearing for the National Human Rights Commission, senior counsel Gopal Subramanium initially told the court that he was in agreement with what Mehta was saying and that the NHRC was only concerned with the Rohingyas present in India.

The next hearing of the matter is on March 7.

--IANS

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