Police in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested 74 Rohingya refugees on charges of "crossing the border illegally," according to a statement from police.
The police detained the Rohingya living in six municipalities in the state. The Rohingya Human Rights Initiative claims those detained have been living in India for around 10 years, with around 18-40K [per accounts from multiple outlets] Rohingya Muslims believed to be living in India after fleeing violence in Myanmar.
Violence and persecution of the Rohingya in India are being fueled by the right-wing nationalist policies of the Modi government, which have painted Muslims as a threat to Indian society. The government's callousness is a sad chapter in the history of Rohingya persecution, as national security is used as an excuse to mistreat Muslim refugees. India needs legislation governing the treatment of refugees, something it lacks, and must start treating Rohingya Muslims with dignity.
India has long been a haven for tens of millions of refugees, but the strain they are putting on national resources has forced the government to take a pragmatic approach towards illegal immigration and refugee claimants. Many of these Rohingya are also at risk of recruitment by extremist groups and have been involved in religious violence. India will do what it can to protect refugees but has every right to put its national interests first. India cannot bear the Rohingya crisis alone.