Supreme Court Rejects Sri Lankan Citizen's Asylum Plea, States India is Not a "Dharamshala"
New Delhi: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court unequivocally stated that India is not a "Dharamshala" (shelter) for asylum seekers from around the world. This observation came during the hearing of a plea filed by a Sri Lankan citizen seeking asylum in India. The court rejected the plea, stating that India is already grappling with a population of 1.4 billion, making it impossible to grant asylum to every foreign national.
Sri Lankan Citizen and LTTE Connection
The plea was filed by a Sri Lankan national arrested in India in 2015. He was accused of having links with the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), a former terrorist organization active in Sri Lanka. Following his arrest, cases were filed against him under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Foreigners Act.
Appeal to the Court
The petitioner pleaded with the court that his life would be in danger if he were deported back to Sri Lanka. He also stated his desire to reside in a refugee camp in India, claiming his life was not safe in Sri Lanka. He requested that India grant him asylum.
Supreme Court's Firm Remark
During the hearing, the bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and K. Vinod Chandran dismissed the plea with a b remark: "India is not a Dharamshala. We are already struggling with our 1.4 billion citizens. Can we allow everyone to stay here?"
The court further suggested that if he faced threats, he should "go to some other country."
Sentence and Legal Process
The individual had served a seven-year sentence in India for a murder case. In 2018, a trial court sentenced him to 10 years under UAPA. However, the Madras High Court reduced the sentence to seven years in 2022.
The High Court also directed that he be deported after completing his sentence, but allowed him to stay in a refugee camp before deportation.
