Aizawl: Rajya Sabha member from Mizoram K Vanlalvena on Tuesday urged the Centre to look into the plight of anti-coup protesters in Myanmar and review the country’s policy towards Myanmar nationals who fled their country to take refuge in Indian territory.
Raising the issue of Myanmar nationals in Mizoram during zero hour in the ongoing budget session on Tuesday, Vanlalvena informed the house that over 300 Myanmar nationals, including 150 police personnel, have crossed over to Mizoram to take refuge in the state following the last month military coup in the neighbouring country.
He said the state government and NGOs have provided immediate relief and shelter to the Myanmar nationals on humanitarian ground.
The 50-year-old MP pointed out that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently given directions to chief secretaries of four northeastern states, which share border with Myanmar, to not entertain refugees from Myanmar.
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The home ministry also instructed Assam Rifles, the border guarding force, to seal border and prevent illegal influx of people from Myanmar, he said.
“It will not go down well with people of Mizoram if the Centre insists on deporting the refugees who belong to the Mizo ethnic tribe, and it is not possible to deport them until normalcy returns in the neighbouring country,” Vanlalvena told the house.
He said that the whole world is expecting India to harbor the refugees, who fled their country due to humanitarian crisis.
Being the largest democracy in the world, it is the responsibility of India to encourage and support any struggle to protect and uphold democratic rights and principles, he said.
He further urged the Centre to extend its helping hands to protect the Myanmar refugees.
