The Supreme Court Monday observed that Indian citizens stranded in various countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic should “stay where they are” after the Centre said it would not be feasible to “selectively evacuate” those who want to return due to various reasons.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said this whilehearing through video-conferencing a batch of pleas seeking evacuation ofIndian citizens from different countries including United Kingdom and Gulfnations.
“People should stay where they are right now,”said the bench, also comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and M MShantanagoudar.
When one of the lawyers referred to students stranded in theUK, the bench observed, “Have you seen the affidavit of Union of India?You are secure there. Why do you want to come back?”
In its affidavit filed on a plea seeking evacuation ofIndian students stranded in UK, the Centre has given details of the steps takenby the concerned authorities including the Indian High Commission at London toassist Indians there.
Detailing the Centre’s position regarding evacuation ofIndians from abroad amid coronavirus or COVID-19, the affidavit said thecountry has a very large Indian community abroad including NRIs and Indianstudents in foreign countries.
“It is true that the GoI (Government of India)initially undertook some evacuation operations of Indian nationals as alsonationals of other countries from China, Japan, Iran and Italy when thesituation of coronavirus situation in India was not so grim. Many of thepersons evacuated from these countries were then brought and subjected toquarantine in India,” the affidavit said.
“However, given the present situation of thecoronavirus outbreak in India and the available limited resources, it is notfeasible to selectively evacuate Indian citizens from abroad when a largenumber of them from a number of countries want to return back due to variousreasons,” it said.
The Centre said that the severe risk posed by arrivals froman increasing number of countries affected by COVID-19 is something that thegovernment is seeking to minimize.
“The approach of the government has, therefore, been toadvise the Indian nationals to stay put where they are in line withgovernment’s approach to contain the further spread of the virus within Indiaand allowing health machinery to focus on domestic containmenteffectively,” it said.
Meanwhile, the apex court said that it would hear after fourweeks a plea, filed by Delhi-based advocate Madhurima Mridul, in which theCentre has filed its affidavit.Mridul,through her counsel Sunil Fernandes, has also sought a direction to thegovernment to ensure that till requisite arrangements are made for evacuation,the students stranded in the UK are provided accommodation, adequate health andmedical support, if needed, by the Indian High Commission in London.