New Delhi: The Vice President of Jamaat e Islami Hind (JIH), Prof Salim Engineer, has voiced grave concern over the inhumane deportation of Rohingya refugees by Indian Authorities.

In a statement to the media, Prof Salim Engineer stated, “We express grave concern over the reported forcible deportation of 43 Rohingya refugees, including women, children, the elderly, and the infirm, by Indian authorities. According to multiple credible reports, the deported refugees were blindfolded, bound, and transported from New Delhi to Port Blair before being cast into international waters near the Myanmar coast on May 8, 2025, under the false pretext of transfer to a safe country. The refugees were left to swim ashore, only to find themselves back in the very country, Myanmar, that they had fled to escape genocide. If this is true, it is a disturbing and shameful departure from India’s constitutional and humanitarian obligations.”

The JIH Vice President stated further, “We wish to remind the government that India is a signatory to the UN Convention Against Torture, which explicitly prohibits refoulement, i.e. returning individuals to a place where they face threats to life or freedom. The International Court of Justice has recognised the Rohingya as victims of genocide. Deporting them to Myanmar, under any guise, violates international law and moral responsibility. The deported individuals were registered with the UNHCR. Their forcible removal, despite possessing refugee identification, shows a blatant disregard for international humanitarian standards and India’s historical legacy as a refuge for the persecuted. Deporting human beings like criminals, that too by endangering their lives at sea, is inhuman and unacceptable. We call upon the Government of India to immediately stop all forced deportations of Rohingya refugees, investigate the alleged abuses, and hold accountable those responsible for these violations. We urge the judiciary to take cognisance of any violation of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty and protects against arbitrary deprivation of these rights.”