SC for voluntary shifting of Bru refugees to Mizoram

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said Bru refugees, lodged in relief camps in Tripura after being displaced from Mizoram, should be allowed to voluntarily return to their native state.
A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice S K Kaul referred to the February 6 order in which Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar had informed the court that he would convey to the authorities concerned that status quo be maintained on shifting back of displaced families to Mizoram.
“We accordingly hereby clarify that such Bru families that were displaced to Tripura and desiring to return to Mizoram voluntarily, shall be allowed to do so on their own will and such of the families, which desire such rehabilitation, will be provided the necessary pre-requisites as has been provided to others who have been rehabilitated,” it said.
The solicitor general told the court that rehabilitation process of Bru families is going on and a joint monitoring group, headed by the Union home secretary, is looking after it.
He said that the petitioner, Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum, has participated in the JMG meetings with regard to rehabilitation process which has been undertaken by the Mizoram government with the help of the Centre and the Tripura government.
“When they (petitioner) have participated in the meeting of the joint monitoring group, they should not have presented their grievances here,” Kumar told the bench. (PTI)