UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Monday who described the Myanmar government’s handling of the Rohingya issue as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”, specifically targeted minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju for his stance on deporting Rohingya refugees.

“I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country,” he said.

“The minister of state for home affairs has reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention the country can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion,” he said, noting that 40,000 Rohingyas had settled in India.

On Saturday, India asked Myanmar to handle the situation in Rakhine state with restraint while focussing on the welfare of both civilians and security forces. It also called for violence in the region to be ended expeditiously.

KC Singh, a retired Indian diplomat, believes the treatment meted out to the Rohingya stems from the BJP’s “Islamophobia” as well as domestic political calculations that a tough line on Muslim refugees will play well with the party’s Hindu nationalist base.

Meeting Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader, in Naypyidaw last week, Mr Modi said New Delhi shared the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s concern with “extremist violence”. The Indian premier made no public mention of the abuses that human rights groups say are being carried against innocent Rohingya civilians by Myanmar’s security forces.

“They [the Indian government] buy the arguments coming out of Myanmar that these are all potential terrorists, militants or radicalised elements. That plays well with the base,” Mr Singh added.