Rohingya rumble in Mumbai, simmering debates singe city
(From left) Seeraj Usmani , Jatin Desai, Prakash Ambedkar, Kapil Patil and Feroze Mithiborwala at a 'Save The Rohingyas of Myanmar' meet at Press Club on Monday evening. Pic/Tanvi Phondekar
In August 2012, Mumbai watched in horror as the Azad Maidan became battleground for a horrendous riot. What began as a protest over events in Myanmar (formerly Burma) later turned into a lethal firestorm.
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The irony was, at that time, many who participated in the protest to condemn India's "silence" as they claimed over atrocities against Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar, had no clue about where Myanmar was on the map.
Five years later...
This time Rohingyas are on the radar of the city again, but protests are by the much more informed section. The Rohingyas of Myanmar (formerly Burma) have fled to Bangladesh, with reports stating that at least 40,000 Rohingya refugees have made their way into India, taking refuge Delhi, Jammu, Hyderabad.
This subject is charting a smouldering path to Mumbai, where the city is waking up to fierce discussions about whether Rohingyas are security threats or genuine refugees. This has become a 'Left vs Right' issue, and a Human Rights vs 'Those who scoff at the pretentiousness of activists' verbal bout. The fissures are deep and currently spewing volcanic lava as the arguments on both sides are increasingly political and red hot.
Mumbai advocate and MLA Waris Pathan, handed over a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis a few days earlier, claiming "to be talking for the Muslim community" saying that Rohingyas are facing a "genocide". Waris adds in his letter, "kindly speak to the authorities at the centre to take immediate action against these atrocities and also allow the affected people of Rohingya to cross the Indian borders and bring them to safe haven." Waris added in a conversation that Rohingyas here, "should be given refugee status, the same as the Dalai Lama has in India."
We want a law
On Monday evening, Mumbai's Press Club had a meet 'Save the Rohingyas of Myanmar' where a slew of activists appealed to the Govt. to, "formulate a clear law on refugees and asylum seekers. All talks of deportation are mere empty rhetoric and pandering to communal politics as the Rohingyas have nowhere to go."
The other side...
The Centre though said yesterday in the Supreme Court, that, "Some of the Rohingyas with a militant background were found to be very active in Jammu, Delhi, and Hyderabad," and have been identified as having a very serious and potential threat to the internal/national security of India."
Sinister designs seen
Mumbai's Desh Bhakti Andolan, which calls itself a 'non-electoral movement' released a statement showing the deep divides. Their statement reads: "Strange things are happening. Rohingyas are supposed to be refugees from Myanmar, but most of them have relocated themselves in Jammu. The aim is obviously to change the demography of the Hindu-majority. They are people with an agenda... not poor innocent refugees.'
Abuse of democracy
The Andolan spokesperson adds, "Two of them have even moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on their deportation! Can there be a bigger abuse of Indian democracy? The bigger question is how did the Border Security Force (BSF) let in these so-called refugees and that too in such huge numbers?" The statement ends with, "India is saddled with two crore refugees from Bangladesh and nothing is being done with them. This country must be the world's largest dharamshala."
Tweet talk
Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs
This chorus of branding India as villain on Rohingya issue is a calibrated design to tarnish India's image... It undermines India's security
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