Not A Dharmashala: Supreme Court Rejects Lankan Mans Plea For Refuge In India

The Supreme Court on Monday brushed aside a Sri Lankan nationwide’s plea for shelter, mentioning that India can’t host refugees from all over the world. A bench led by way of Justice Dipankar Datta seen that India has an enormous inhabitants of 140 crore and it can’t stay entertaining international nationals from the world over.

“Is India to host refugees from all over the world? We are struggling with 140 crore. This is not a dharmashala (free shelter) that we can entertain foreign nationals from all over,” mentioned the Supreme Court.

The petitioner, a Sri Lankan Tamil, was once arrested in 2015 for alleged hyperlinks to the LTTE and convicted beneath the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. In 2022, the Madras High Court slashed his time period to seven years, however requested him to go away the rustic once his sentence was once over and keep in a refugee camp prior to his deportation.

Despite his claims of risk in Sri Lanka and circle of relatives ties in India, the courtroom dominated that his detention was once lawful and Article 19 rights don’t observe to international electorate. The courtroom recommended the petitioner imagine shifting to every other nation, emphasizing India’s restricted capability to house refugees.

The Supreme Court’s ruling comes amid the Union Government’s efforts to deport refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers national. Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed state governments and union territories to shape Special Task Forces to spot and deport unlawful Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants inside of 30 days, following a directive connected to the April 22 Pahalgam terror assault.