"India is Not a Dharamshala": Supreme Court Orders Sri Lankan Refugee to Leave the Country

In a firm stance on immigration, the Supreme Court of India has ordered a Sri Lankan refugee to leave the country, stating that India cannot become a refuge for people from across the globe. “India is not a Dharamshala (rest house). Why should refugees from all over the world be given shelter here? We already have a population of 140 crore people struggling,” the bench observed during the hearing. The court emphasized that the country does not have the capacity to accommodate refugees from every part of the world.

The petitioner, a Sri Lankan national, had approached the court seeking to stay in India, citing threats to his life if he returned to his home country. His legal counsel argued that he initially entered India on a valid visa and requested protection due to the unsafe conditions he claimed to face back home.

Despite the plea, the Supreme Court maintained that allowing such exceptions would set an unsustainable precedent and reaffirmed the government's authority to regulate immigration strictly. The court’s decision highlights the growing concerns around undocumented immigration and refugee inflow, especially amid rising humanitarian and economic pressures in the region.