Cong urges govt to take parties into confidence on Rohingyas

The Congress today urged the government to take all parties into confidence and not have a "blanket approach" on the issue of the Rohingyas.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the matter was "very sensitive" and the government must act responsibly while maintaining a balance between internal security and international obligations while taking a call on the issue.
"It is incumbent and obligatory on the government to take every part of the political spectrum into confidence in a collective sense on this very important and sensitive matter," he told reporters here.
The Congress leader said such collective consultations would help the government decipher genuine national security problems.

"A blanket approach is never helpful. We beseech the government not to use blanket approaches. We are given to understand that in the affidavit given to the Supreme Court the government has suggested that it is not bound by any international treaty," he said.
Singhvi said whether it was a technical point or a blanket approach, "you should be very guarded" because the government ultimately changes, parties and time change, but the country and the affidavit in the Supreme Court are permanent.

On the Centre's plea that the Rohingyas were involved in anti-national activities, Singhvi said this was a sensitive matter and "all have to be restrained and responsible about this".

The Centre told the Supreme Court today Rohingya Muslims were illegal immigrants in India and their continued stay had "serious national security ramifications".
The Centre's affidavit, filed in the apex court Registry, said the fundamental right to reside and settle in any part of the country was available only to citizens and illegal refugees could not invoke the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to enforce the right.