Minister of State for Home Affair Kiren Rijiju in a statement to Parliament mentioned deportation of illegal foreign nationals including Rohingyas highlighting that around 40,000 Rohingyas are living illegally in India. Amid reports that they might get deported, Rohginya Muslims say they prefer to die in India rather than return to Myanmar.

"We thank India for allowing us to stay. If the government wants to deport us, it can do it but it will be better if they kill us here instead of sending us back," Abdul Raheem, a refugee, told IANS.

Thousands of Rohingya people, an ethnic minority, fled from Myanmar to escape getting persecuted by the Myanmar military. The ethnic minority has claimed that the security forces have raped, murdered and arsoned many. On the other hand, Myanmar government has refused to recognise Rohingya as one of the country's ethnic minorities and described them as Bengalis or illegal immigrants from neighbouring country- Bangladesh.

Also read: Fate of 40,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar to be sealed soon

They are considered 'stateless entities' and in 2015 mass migration of thousands of Rohingya people from Myanmar started.

While the Rohingya refugees do not want to return to their native country, according to intelligence sources they have emerged as a serious security threat for India. Authorities are on a sweeping drive to identify the refugees who could be relocated or deported.

But the Rohingya refugees continue to appeal the Indian government to cancel the plans to deport them on humanitarian grounds. Adding to that, a global human rights group has said that India should abide by its international legal obligations and should not forcibly return the refugees to Myanmar.

Also read: India to deport all Rohingya Muslims regardless of UN registration

"India has a long record of helping vulnerable populations fleeing from neighboring countries, including Sri Lankans, Afghans, and Tibetans," Human Rights Watch's South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly said.

India has been condemned for its plan to deport the Rohingya Muslims refugees by other human rights organisations as well.

Indian authorities are well aware of the human rights violations Rohingya Muslims have had to face in Myanmar and it would be outrageous to abandon them to their fates," said Raghu Menon, advocacy manager at Amnesty International India.

"It shows blatant disregard for India's obligations under international law," he said in a statement on Wednesday as reported by Reuters.

Also read: Different situation, same story: After Aylan Kurdi, Rohingya baby's body washes ashore near Bangladesh