India says those staying ‘illegally’ will be dealt per law amid reports of deportation to Bangladesh

All foreign nationals staying illegally in India, whether from Bangladesh or any other country, will be dealt with as per law, the Ministry of External Affairs stated on Thursday.

The statement, by ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, came on a question about reports alleging that Indian authorities had forced persons, including Rohingya refugees, into Bangladesh and Myanmar.

“We have a large number of Bangladeshi nationals here who are required to be deported,” Jaiswal said during a press briefing. “We have asked Bangladeshi side to verify their nationality.”

He added that there are more than 2,360 cases of persons “required to be deported”.

The ministry spokesperson noted that many among them have already served their jail terms, but their deportation has been delayed because their nationality verification has been pending since 2020.

“We would urge the Bangladeshi side that they must expedite the verification process,” Jaiswal said. “So that people who are required to be deported can be sent back to Bangladesh.”

On May 8, the Bangladesh border force alleged that it had also detained at least 123 persons whom it claimed India had “pushed” into the country without documents. Among those detained were Rohingyas and Bangla-speaking persons.

A senior Indian police officer had confirmed to Scroll that some individuals had been detained by Bangladesh. But the officer did not confirm how many had been detained.

On May 10, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that the state government was pushing back Rohingya refugees, among other “illegal infiltrators” into Bangladesh, instead of filing legal cases against them.

Citing a report by the police in Bangladesh’s Satkhira town, Scroll reported on May 15 that there were three Indians who were among a group of 78 people who were allegedly “pushed” across the water into Bangladesh on May 8.

The police in Gujarat, from where the men were allegedly detained, rejected allegations that the group had been pushed into the water.

On May 16, Dhaka said that it had raised concerns with New Delhi about reports that India had “pushed” persons into Bangladesh.

Faisal Mahmud, the press minister in the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, told Scroll that the identities of “those who entered Bangladesh without following any legal procedures or formal channels remain unverified”.

Also read: How Rohingyas were expelled from Assam detention centre, despite their pleas pending in court

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