Through this group, we would pressurise the government to do something for them on humanitarian grounds.”
Speaking to reporters later, the president of Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM), who will lead the committee said, “Unfortunately, this BJP-led government sees every issue through the prism of Hinduism.”
The Centre submitted before the Supreme Court today that the continued stay of Rohingya Muslims has serious security ramifications. Terming the Rohingya refugees as “illegal” immigrants, the government today told the apex court that some of them were part of a “sinister” design of Pakistan’s ISI and terror groups such as the ISIS, whose presence in the country will pose a “serious” national security threat.
To a question on the government’s stand in the SC, Ambedkar said, “The police records do not support that they are in any way part of international terrorist organisations..
and if the government agencies have any inputs about it, then they should identify such people and offer help to those, who are not so (linked to terror groups).”
Ambedkar also suggested that Rohingyas can be granted refuge for the time being or even the next couple of years.
Apart from Ambedkar, city-based human rights activist Jatin Desai, MLC Kapil Patil, Feroz Mithiborwala and Noorjahan Niyaz, will also be members of the committee.
Kapil Patil said, “It has always been our tradition to offer all possible help to those in need. The BJP-led government is washing its hands of them.”
Jatin Desai suggested that it is time that the government comes up with a refugee policy to end such problems forever.