The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has told the parliament that asylum seekers “denigrate” the nation and society to “obtain personal gain”.
The MEA’s reply in parliament comes after data indicated that more than 41,000 Indians have applied for asylum in the United States, reported The Tribune.
Data from the US Department of Homeland Security Report ‘2023 Asylees Annual Flow Report’, that was released in October stated that 41,030 Indians had applied for asylum last year.
“The Government of India believes asylum seekers, while applying for asylum to a foreign government, denigrate the nation and society to obtain personal gains despite the fact that India, being a democratic country, provides avenues for everyone to redress their grievances lawfully”, the MEA said while replying to a question asked by MP Kapil Sibal in the Rajya Sabha.
Asylum seekers in the US must meet the definition of a refugee, among other requirements.
“A ‘refugee’ is a person who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of nationality because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”, states the Homeland Security Report, citing US law.
The US Homeland report stated that in the last three years, the number of applications for asylum from Indians increased by nearly 855 per cent.