India Faces UN Scrutiny Amid Allegations of Rohingya Refugee Deportation

India stands accused of forcibly deporting Rohingya refugees in a shocking escalation of government crackdowns on minority communities, prompting urgent UN calls for accountability.

The United Nations has expressed deep concern and is calling for an investigation following “credible reports” that Indian authorities systematically rounded up Rohingya refugees for deportation, with numerous accounts alleging that individuals were cast into the Andaman Sea, driven from safety back towards the perilous shores of Myanmar from where they had fled to escape persecution and violence.

Tom Andrews, the U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, condemned the actions, emphasizing, “The notion that Rohingya refugees are being unceremoniously dumped into the sea is absolutely outrageous.” He implored the Indian government to clarify these alarming reports and put an end to what he termed as “inhumane and life-threatening treatment of vulnerable individuals.”

As tensions with neighboring Pakistan heightened—following accusations of Pakistan's involvement in a terror attack that claimed over two dozen Indian lives—Indian authorities intensified a campaign against minority Muslims. This crackdown has resulted in the rounding up of thousands labelled as illegal immigrants, including Rohingya and Bangladeshi individuals, in various states across India.

Notably, large-scale operations targeting these groups occurred in Gujarat, which is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and in Rajasthan. The labeling of individuals as “Rohingya,” “Bangladeshi,” or “Pakistani” has functioned as a mechanism for the Indian government to marginalize and stigmatize Muslim migrants while expanding security agendas amid regional instability.

While the Indian government has yet to respond publicly to the allegations, the Human Rights community and international body observers are steadfast in demanding transparency and accountability for these reported actions that threaten the lives and dignity of an already vulnerable population.