UNHCR seeks clarification from India over repatriation of Rohingya to Myanmar
United Nations, Jan 5: The UN refugee agency has expressed regret over India's decision to repatriate a group of Rohingya to Myanmar, saying it has sought clarification from India on the circumstances under which the asylum seekers were sent back, voicing concern over the unconducive conditions for such returns.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Friday that it "regrets India's decision to repatriate a family of Rohingya asylum seekers to Myanmar, the second such return in three months," Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq told reporters at the daily press briefing.
The UN refugee agency said a family of Rohingya asylum-seekers from Rakhine State, registered with UNHCR in India, was sent back to Myanmar on Thursday after being detained in Assam, where they had been serving a prison term since 2013 for illegal entry into India.
The agency said despite repeated requests, it did not receive a response from the authorities in India regarding requests for access to individuals in detention to ascertain their circumstances and to assess the voluntariness of their decision to return.
Noting that this was the second such incident since October 2018, when India returned seven Rohingya men to Rakhine State in Myanmar, the agency said conditions are not conducive for return of Rohingya to Myanmar.
UNHCR continues to request access and seek clarification on the circumstances under which the return has taken place, the agency added.
There are an estimated 18,000 Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in India, living across different locations.
Responding to a question on the Rohingya being returned to Myanmar, Haq said the UN wants to ensure that whenever any family is returned, the nature of the return was voluntary. "And UNHCR was not able to assess the voluntary nature of that return, and so they are very concerned about this," he said.
When asked if the Secretary-General intends to talk directly to India over the issue since the UN refugee agency has "failed", Haq replied "I wouldn't say that UNHCR has failed. What I would say is that there's movements on the ground about which they are concerned, but they are in charge of this particular file, and we'll see how it goes with their efforts."
Assam Additional Director General of Police (Border) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta has said in Guwahati that the five members of the Rohingya family were handed over to the Myanmarese authorities along the International Border in Manipur.
They were apprehended about five years ago without any travel document and were booked for violating the Foreigners Act, Mahanta has said.
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“Modi has opened his legs for Israel,” says US journalist during broadcast
New Delhi: A remark made by an American journalist about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy stance towards Israel has triggered discussions online after a clip from a recent broadcast went viral on social media.
Ana Kasparian, co-host and executive producer of the progressive US news programme The Young Turks (TYT), made the comment while discussing Israel’s influence on global alliances and the foreign policies of various countries.
During the segment, Kasparian said: “It looks like Narendra Modi opening up his legs to Israel. Congratulations.”
The statement came in the context of a broader discussion by the programme’s hosts on Israel’s relations with global powers. Kasparian and her co-host Cenk Uygur criticised what they described as one-sided alliances with Israel and argued that such partnerships could draw countries into conflicts in the Middle East.
The discussion also touched on India’s growing strategic ties with Israel, including cooperation in defence, technology and agriculture. Some foreign media outlets have recently highlighted India’s positions in international forums, including votes related to the Gaza situation at the United Nations, as evidence of a shift in its traditional foreign policy stance.
The clip from the broadcast has circulated widely on social media platforms, with users in India and abroad sharing and debating the remark. Some users translated the comment into Hindi and other languages, further expanding its reach online.
Kasparian has previously drawn criticism from pro-Israel groups for her comments on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Her remarks in the latest broadcast have also prompted mixed reactions online, with some users condemning the language used and others engaging in discussions about India’s foreign policy alignment.
Dear @narendramodi ,
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) March 5, 2026
Look what this American Journalist is calling you.
Unacceptable, please send a team of Delhi Police to Los Angeles and get her arrested ASAP under NSA.
pic.twitter.com/F7TqlV54Lz
