The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea by a Sri Lankan national seeking protection from deportation after completing a seven-year jail term under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, bluntly stating that India is not a dharamshala to accommodate refugees from all over the world.

A bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice K Vinod Chandran refused to intervene with the Madras High Court’s order, which had directed that the foreign national be deported immediately after the completion of his sentence.

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“Is India to host refugees from all over the world? We are already struggling with a population of 140 crore. This is not a dharamshala where we can entertain foreign nationals from everywhere,” remarked Justice Datta, dismissing the plea.

The Sri Lankan national, who had entered India on a visa, had completed his prison sentence but remained in detention for almost three years post-release. He had moved the top court seeking a direction against deportation, citing grave threat to his life if sent back to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan national’s advocate pleaded that no formal deportation proceedings had been initiated even after the 7-year sentence was served and contended that the petitioner deserved refugee protection. The advocate also told the bench that the Sri Lankan national’s wife and children are already settled in India.

However, the bench remained unmoved. “Go to some other country,” Justice Datta remarked, dismissing the plea for protection from deportation.