There is no denying that the foreign refugees in India have rendered a lot of the Indian economy. They have also contributed to Indian culture. They have left their traces in the development initiatives for the automobile, food, manufacturing, and hospitality sector.
Every year, millions of people are compelled to leave their homes and look for a safe place to start their life from a new perspective. As per UN records, 82.4 million people were forced to abandon their homes. From that 200,000 people are refugees in India.
Throughout history, India has provided shelter to people escaping from war, disputes, and ill-treatment. The Zoroastrians from Iran, Sri Lanka in the 1980s, refugees under west Pakistan (Bangladesh), and recently the Afghan refugees. India faced a massive wave of refugees during the Partition of Pakistan. The reason for sheltering and welcoming refugees has been a part of Indian culture.
The spiritual and cultural values of Indians believe in peace and helping the needy. India as a nation has been a part of 49 peacekeeping missions that involved 195,000 troops, policemen, the UN, and other NGOs to help the war-ridden countries. But, we can not deny that despite being a welcoming nation, India is a developing country that has a high number of existing populations to feed and nourish. For this reason, it is important to revise the refugee framework in India.
The regulation of refugees’ aid and assistance has been done through temporary and immediate policies. Although it has benefitted some refugees, others have been at a disadvantage over this. Every time refugees have taken shelter in India, it has provided them with economic, demographic, and political aid with complete security.
Still, there is a need left to place this assistance in the form of a proper law for the world to see and acknowledge. We have been proud of our economic, communications, and industrial development but, it is also important to recognize the help and aid that India has given to these Refugees. At the same time, it will also ensure some basic rights for the refugees in India.
We cannot forget the contribution given by the Refugees to India’s economic development. A refugee policy will ensure the efficient management of the refugees and lay as a guideline for future administrations. Refugees should be treated properly as per the basic human rights protection and a refugee law will ensure this forever.
It will ensure permanency in the treatment of Refugees and it will be important for national security. A national refugee management law will also boost the leadership status of India in the south-Asian region and among the developing nations. It will specify the roles and level of intervention for the government, UN, Global NGOs, and judiciary.
The refugee law can also prove to have resolving issues with the origin of refugees. There will be a platform for dialogue and responsibility distribution. Furthermore, it will provide a way to get a better solution for the main cause of refugee issues.
Many people criticize the nature of India to accept refugees despite limited resources and existing population concerns. In this case, a refugee law will ensure the rights and protection of the refugee and their responsibilities. Since time immemorial, India has given shelter to refugees for humanitarian reasons and not for mere opportunities. Some of those refugees themselves are the leading business persons in India today. The law shall also differentiate between refugees and migrants by clarifying the management responsibilities of the administration. It’s the time when the government should consider drafting a Refugee law in India.
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