You want to roll out red carpet for illegal immigrants?', Supreme Court responds to Rohingya refugee issue

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has asked a severe question whether to roll out the red carpet for those who enter the country illegally. The bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant asked this while considering a habeas corpus petition filed alleging that Rohingya refugees are missing.

The bench noted that a person's status as a "refugee" requires a formal declaration by a prescribed authority, such as the Indian government. "Refugees are a well-defined term. If a refugee does not have legal status, if he is an infiltrator and if he enters the country illegally, are we obligated to keep that person here?" asked the bench comprising Chief Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The court also asked what is wrong in sending back infiltrators.

"You enter through tunnel, etc. and then you are entitled to food, shelter, right to education for children etc. Do we want to stretch law like this? " the court asked. "We have sensitive border in the north India side and we hope you are aware of what is happening inside the country...And so you want a red carpet for them (immigrants)? the court questioned.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta questioned the petition itself. He informed the court that the habeas corpus petition was filed by a public interest litigant who has no connection with the Rohingyas. The lawyer of the habeas corpus petitioner argued in the court that the petition meant that the Rohingyas should be deported only according to the law.