No Afghan protesters outside UNHCR office now: Police

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Tuesday informed the Delhi high court that there are now no Afghan nationals protesting outside the UNHCR office in south Delhi.
“The protest by Afghan refugees has been withdrawn from the UNHCR office,” the police informed the court in response to a petition filed by Vasant Vihar Welfare Association seeking the removal of protesters in the proximity of residential areas.
The counsel, appearing for the association, also told Justice Rekha Palli that there is no protest in the area now. Taking note of the “change in circumstances,” the high court ended proceedings initiated by the association, but refused to pass any order in relation to the formulation of a policy on “congregation of foreign nationals/asylum seekers/refugees” as sought by the petitioner.
The association submitted that “Last time also, there was a Rohingya crisis and people started gathering. This has become a routine now for people to gather and protest.”
On September 3, the high court had directed the Delhi government and police to ensure that the number of Afghan nationals who were protesting outside the UNHCR office and seeking refugee status, was reduced and they strictly followed Covid-19-appropriate protocol. It had said that the law was same for everybody and questioned the authorities as to how there could be 500 persons gathered for the protest.
The welfare association stated that many foreign nationals had gathered outside the office of United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) in Vasant Vihar since August 15, and residents of nearby areas were facing difficulties due to this.
It said that the number of such foreign nationals from Afghanistan had increased manifold in the past week owing to the takeover of the country by Taliban forces. According to the petition, the area has turned into a protest site where people from all age-groups, including children, are congregating despite the threat of the third wave of Covid-19 looming large.
When the Centre’s counsel, while referring to the Afghanistan political crisis, had said the situation was not normal and it was unprecedented, the court said there was no question of being unreasonably harsh to anybody but the law was same for everybody.