New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has categorically stated that intruders and illegal immigrants hold no legal right in the country, asserting that a “red carpet cannot be rolled out” for those who enter illegally.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made the sharp observations yesterday while hearing a habeas corpus petition concerning the alleged disappearance of a few Rohingyas from official custody.
The Bench firmly stated that national benefits and amenities must be concentrated on the citizens of the country, who have a right over its resources, rather than on individuals who have entered illegally.
Chief Justice Kant questioned the extent to which the law could be “stretched” to accommodate illegal entrants, asking if those who cross the border illegally and then demand rights to food, shelter, and education should be prioritized over India’s own poor.
While making these strong remarks on the legal status and entitlements of illegal migrants, the Supreme Court simultaneously noted a crucial humanitarian safeguard: illegal migrants cannot be subjected to custodial torture.
The Court is expected to take up other connected matters regarding the legal status of Rohingya migrants at a later date.
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