Rohingya issue: MEA says India is focusing on providing humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Friday said that India is focusing on providing humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh and extending support in handling the situation emerging out of Rohingya crisis.

Earlier, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday claimed that it is a mistake to consider Rohingyas entering India as refugees as they did not follow due procedure.

"We need to understand that Rohingyas who have infiltrated India are not refugees," Singh said during an NHRC programme.

The Minister argued that there is a set procedure to follow in order to acquire refugee status, hence the Rohingyas currently in India are illegal immigrants. Thus, human rights argument does not apply, he told media.

"India won't be violating any international law by deporting Rohingyas from India, as it isn't a signatory to 1951 UN Refugee Convention," the home minister added. "Principle of non-refoulement applies on those who have taken asylum in India. No Rohingya has applied for asylum in India till today."