The Indian government believes that refugees, when they apply to foreign countries, “dishonor” the nation and society for their personal gain, the Center said on Thursday.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirtivardhan Singh said this in a written reply to a question asked in the Rajya Sabha.
Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut asked about the total number of Indians who sought asylum abroad in each of the last three years and the current year.
He also asked if there is an increase in the number of Indians seeking asylum in the US between 2021 and 2023, and if so, what steps the government has taken to address the issue.
“Precise statistics regarding the number of asylum applications and the actual number of people granted asylum or the grounds on which asylum is sought or granted are not available as relevant foreign governments are unable to share such data due to privacy and data protection laws.” Singh said. “The Government of India believes that when refugees apply for asylum to a foreign government, India, being a democratic country, provides everyone with a legal avenue to redress their grievances, but brings the nation and society into disrepute for personal gain.” He said.