Opposition protests in Parliament premises over Jaishankar's statement on US deportation, terms it "shocking, unfortunate"

New Delhi [India], February 6 (ANI): Opposition MPs on Thursday held a protest in Parliament premises against External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar's statement in Rajya Sabha, on the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States on February 5.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on Thursday slammed the central government, calling its response to the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States "shocking" and indicative of "complete helplessness."
KC Venugopal alleged that the government was standing up to the stance of the US authorities instead of taking a firm stand to protect Indian citizens.
Responding to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's statement in Rajya Sabha on the deportation of illegal Indian migrants by the US, Congress leader Venugopal said, "I heard the statement of EAM Jaishankar. It sounded like a statement from the US State Secretary. This is completely unfortunate. We understand that there have to be legal proceedings regarding the illegal immigrants and there has to be deportation but the manner in which it was done was very sad."
"The shocking thing is that the Indian government is showing complete helplessness and they are completely going with the same stand of the US Department," he said.

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla also reacted to Jaishankar's statement in RS on the deportation of illegal Indian migrants by the US and said, "EAM gave his statement but he was not able to clarify some things that why they were handcuffed and brought in very bad condition. Why do the government agencies not arrest the agents who loot them? The government should take steps to rehabilitate them."

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also responded to the same and said, "Very unfortunate that the EAM did not stand up for universal human rights and dignity. While we accept that the US has sovereign authority to remove people from its own territory who are not there legally, they should do it with dignity, they have done it to other countries' citizens as well. I wish our government had also stood up for our citizens. They can be deported, but it should have been done with dignity."
In his statement on the US deportation of Indian nationals in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Jaishankar said that deportations by the US are organized and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE is effective from 2013.
He said that there has been no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5.
Jaishankar has said that it is the obligation of all nations to take back their nationals if they are found to be residing there illegally and said that the Indian government is engaging the US government to ensure that the deportees are not mistreated in any manner.
He called people-to-people exchanges the "bedrock" of the deepening ties between India and the US. He stressed that mobility and migration have a key role in enhancing its quality. He noted that illegal mobility and migration have many other associated activities also of illegal nature.
This comes after a US Air Force plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US arrived in Punjab's Amritsar on Wednesday. As many as 104 Indian nationals were onboard the plane that landed in Amritsar.
Earlier in the day, several opposition MPs slammed the centre for the way Indians staying illegally in the United States were deported, questioning the treatment meted out to them.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday launched a sharp criticism at the Central government and while highlighting the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, questioned PM Modi why he let this incident happen.
In a video shared by the All India Congress Committee, 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 treated? That they are sent back handcuffed and shackled? EAM and PM should answer," the Congress MP said.
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."
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi Priyanka Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and several other notable leaders Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, SP MP Dharmendra Yadav were protesting outside parliament. (ANI)