Opposition protest US deportation of Indians, several MPs sport handcuffs

New Delhi [India], February 6 (ANI): Opposition MPs on Thursday protested demading a discussion in Parlament over the recent deportation of over 100 Indian nationals from the United States with several members inculding Amritsar MP Gurujit Singh Aujla seen joining the protest sporting handcuffs on their hands.

Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla also voiced his concerns, saying, “The way they were brought in was wrong. They were humiliated. Their hands and feet were chained. When our government already knew that they were going to be deported, then they should have sent a commercial flight to bring them back.”

Aujla further stated, “They went there illegally, but they did not commit any huge crime after going there... We have given a notice to the Speaker and there may be a discussion on this.”

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav, and a few other leaders were also seen sporting handcuffs to mark their protest outside the main door of the Parliament alleging that Indian citizens were subjected to inhuman treatment while being deported from the US. Placards held by the members read "humans, not prisoners."

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "Those who were showing the dream of making India Vishwaguru, why are they silent now? Indian citizens are deported to India by being handcuffed like slaves and in inhumane conditions. What the external affairs ministry is doing? What did the govt do to protect children and women from this disrespect? We want the government to reply to this and allow the opposition to discuss the issue in parliament..."

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "A lot of things were said that President Trump and PM Modi are very good friends. Why did PM Modi let this happen? Couldn't we have sent our own aircraft to bring them back? Is this how humans are behaved with? That they are sent back handcuffed and shackled?...EAM and PM should answer."

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi meanwhile said, “I am very disappointed with this conduct of the American government. America and India share good relations, but the manner in which they have sent back more than 100 Indian nationals handcuffed and their feet shackled in a military plane is absolutely inhumane. I am surprised that the PM is silent. Why is MEA silent?... I think MEA and PM should make a statement about this.” 

Congress today submitted an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, calling for a discussion on the deportation of the Indian nationals from the US.

The Motion read, “This House must urgently address the issue to prevent further dehumanisation of our people and to uphold the dignity of every Indian, both at home and abroad.”

The Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm over ruckus on the issue. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that he will address the Rajya Sabha at 2 pm on the issue.

Speaking to ANI earlier, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said,"It’s not the first time we’ve had people deported. It’s just that the media has suddenly woken up to this story because Mr. Trump has done it a bit quicker than people expected. But last year, under the Biden Administration, over 1,100 Indians were deported back.”

“If you are in the US illegally, the US has the right to deport you, and if your identity as an Indian is confirmed, then India has an obligation to accept you. So, in both cases, there really isn't much debate. However, it wasn’t good to hear that they were brought back forcibly in a military plane, handcuffed, and so on. That was quite unnecessary. It should have been enough to put them on a commercial aircraft or civilian plane and send them back. If you want to do a mass deportation, do it on civilian charters. That would have been the more humane thing to do. They may have broken your laws by entering your country, but by and large, they have no bad intentions" Tharoor said.

"They are not criminals, and they are not convicted of anything else. They are there to make a better life for themselves, which they attempted by violating your laws. So, you can send them out. But handcuffing them, putting them on a military aircraft, and sending them this way- I think India should say that this is not entirely advisable,” he said.

Tharoor in a tweet on X said, "There were 1100 Indians deported in the previous fiscal year (ending September 2024), under Biden, not Trump. 2. As of 2022, there were 725,000 undocumented Indian immigrants in the US - the third-largest group, outnumbered only by nationals of Mexico and El Salvador. 3. Since October 2020, US Customs and Border Protection officials have detained nearly 170,000 Indian migrants attempting to cross the border illegally from either Canada or Mexico. They are all subject to deportation."

Earlier on Tuesday, a US Embassy spokesperson said that while specific details cannot be shared, the United States is vigorously enforcing its border and immigration laws. The spokesperson emphasised that the actions taken, send a "clear message that illegal migration is not worth the risk."

"I have received a number of inquiries on the report of a deportation flight to India. I can't share any details on those inquiries, but I can share, on the record, that the United States is vigorously enforcing its border, tightening immigration laws, and removing illegal migrants. These actions send a clear message: illegal migration is not worth the risk," a US Embassy spokesperson said. (ANI)