Rajaram Singh noted that more than 25 refugees have been arrested, leaving behind wives and children in extreme vulnerability, including risks of sexual violence. The instruction to disregard UNHCR-issued identity cards and to treat refugees as illegal foreigners was strongly criticised as a violation of international humanitarian norms, exposing the refugees to harassment and abuse of power.
The letter reminded the government that the National Human Rights Commission has already been tasked with drafting a law on refugee protection. In such a context, the arrests and detentions were described as unjustifiable and inhuman.
Rajaram Singh recalled Swami Vivekananda’s 1893 Chicago address, where he declared pride in India’s tradition of sheltering the persecuted and refugees of all nations. The letter warned that the current treatment of African refugees contradicts this legacy and risks damaging India’s relations with African nations, with possible repercussions for the Indian diaspora there. The example of the expulsion of Indians from Uganda was cited as a cautionary reminder.
The CPI(ML) MP urged the Prime Minister to immediately intervene, stop the arrests, and ensure the release of those already detained, reaffirming India’s long tradition of solidarity with oppressed peoples across the world.
