Amit Shah (ANI)
Delhi: The UN Convention on Refugees, also known officially as the 1951 Refugee Convention, is a United Nations treaty specifying who is a refugee, what rights they have, and states' legal duties to protect them. Significantly, India is not a signatory to either the 1951 Convention or the 1967 Protocol. The 1967 Protocol mainly functions to abolish the spatial and temporal limitations of the 1951 Refugee Convention, expanding its application to cover refugees across the globe, irrespective of the time they were displaced.
Home Minister Amit Shah, in his Lok Sabha speech, reiterated once again why India is not a signatory to this UN Convention. Shah stated that while India opens its arms to people coming here for India for business, education, and investment, India is not a "dharmashala".
India is a geo-cultural, not a geo-political country, with a long history of welcoming and protecting immigrants. Past invasions led many Persian refugees to seek safety here, and India has remained a sanctuary for the world’s smallest minorities, offering them dignity and… pic.twitter.com/Td21YtAA3T
— BJP (@BJP4India) March 27, 2025
Shah's observation was made during a response to the debate of the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha. While responding to the debate of the issue of immigration, Shah stated, "India is a geo-cultural nation, not a geo-political nation."
The Home Minister explained that India has never required an independent refugee policy. He cited the fact that India always has taken minorities from all over the globe on the strength of the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). He went on to add that policies like that are only for countries based solely on geographical identities.
"India is a geo-cultural, not a geo-political nation, and it has a centuries-long tradition of giving shelter and harbour to immigrants," he said. "Previous invasions forced numerous Persian refugees to find refuge here, and India has continued to be an asylum for the world's smallest minorities, granting them dignity and security," he added."Jews from Israel found refuge in India. Under PM Modi’s leadership and even today, India continues to shelter communities from neighboring countries. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has further ensured the safety of six persecuted communities," he added.
The Lok Sabha passed the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, by voice vote, rejecting various amendments proposed by the Opposition. One of the main provisions of the bill says that those who use fake passports or visas to come into, remain in, or travel out of India will be imprisoned for a term of seven years and fined up to Rs 10 lakh. The bill also seeks to improve the oversight of all foreigners visiting India, Home Minister Amit Shah stated.
Copyright © 2025 Top Indian News
