New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday issued a notice to the Centre, asking why the Tablighi Jamaat members who were foreign nationals still kept in India when their visas have already been cancelled.
Besides, the top court has also asked if a general direction was passed on blacklisting the foreigners and cancelling their visas or orders were sent to each individually.
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While hearing a plea alleging that foreign Tablighees were not even informed by the government about the cancellation of visas and facing problems as they are not being able to return to their native countries, a constitutional bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar sought response from the Centre by July 2nd in this regard.
Advocate CU Singh informed the court, “ There was no such order on visa cancellation or blacklisting the foreigners had issued to the Tablighees individually. Only their passports were impounded”.
Singh also said that the government had blacklisted 900 people in a general note.
The Centre had blacklisted foreign Tablighees and cancelled their visas as according to the Centre, the former violated the coronavirus-triggered lockdown norms during the Tablighi Jamaat event at Nizamuddin Markaz, Delhi this year, which allegedly led to a spike in coronavirus cases.
Meanwhile, the apex court informed that the decision would be taken based on the reply from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
SC directed Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, to inform the court about cancellation orders and their (foreign Tablighi members) stay in India if the visas have already been cancelled by the government of India.
