Haryana faces problem of illegal migrants also
NEW DELHI: At a time when protests over the influx of illegal Bangladeshi migrants has become a cause for concern for the
Centre and even to states other than Assam, the Supreme Court on Friday said it would surprise many on learning that the same has become a problem in Haryana in the last two years.
A PIL by NGO Swajan had pleaded with the apex court that there was an urgent need to segregate the illegal Bangladeshi migrants, who need to be deported, from those given asylum by the Indian government.
A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi had earlier adjourned hearing on the issue when NGO's counsel Shuvodeep Roy said other states too faced the same problem and expressed desire to make them parties before the Supreme Court.
On Friday, the bench told senior advocates M N Krishnamani and Pinky Anand, who appeared for the NGO, that besides making allegations about the presence of large number of illegal Bangladesh migrants in West Bengal and other northeastern states, no data had been provided by the petitioner.
"In Haryana, there is a large presence of Bangladeshis and this problem is of recent origin, happening in the last two years," said Justice Gogoi.
The bench said: "Let us not get carried away with the problem. Let there be a proper inquiry. The idea of giving time during the last hearing was to allow you to research on the problem and provide authentic data to the court for considering entertaining the petition."
The petitioner had said pushing back those who come to India for shelter after being persecuted in Bangladesh, on religious grounds, would leave these migrants in a tough spot. It had pleaded that those fleeing Bangladesh to escape religious persecution should be granted citizenship by India on humanitarian grounds.
But, the bench asked: "You say that there were four lakh cases pending before the Tribunals set up under the Foreigners Act. Can you tell us how many were pushed out because of religious grounds?"
The court granted three weeks to the petitioner to provide more data on the issue before considering the relief sought by it.
‘Haryana faces problem of illegal migrants also’ - The Times of India