"Why is govt silent?": Congress MP Randeep Surjewala questions Centre on deportation of Indians from US

New Delhi [India], February 6 (ANI): Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala has expressed concern on the manner in which over 100 Indian nationals were deported who were allegedly illegally living in the United States.
Surjewala questioned the government's silence over the manner in which deportees were sent to the country stating that they were chained for 40 hours and not allowed to use toilets.
Citing a specific data, Surjewala said that more than 7.25 lakh Indian citizens went to the US in search of a better life because the Centre failed to fulfilled their promises.
"... More than 7.25 lakh Indian citizens went to the US in search of a better life... They had to go there to earn for their families because PM Modi government ran away from the promise of creating 2 crore jobs annually and there is 40 per cent unemployment in the country... They were chained for 40 hours and not allowed to use toilets... Are Indian citizens terrorists? Why is the government silent?... Thousands of our Indian brothers and sisters are imprisoned in US detention centers... How will they be brought back? Why can't PM Modi say that Indians have contributed to the growth of America and they should be allowed to work? If this cannot be done, we demand that they be brought back with respect and given employment..." Surjewala told ANI.
Earlier today, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a sharp criticism at the Central government over the recent deportation of over 100 Indian nationals who were allegedly living illegally in the United States.
Highlighting the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned PM Modi why he let this incident happen.
In a video shared by 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?"
She further questioned the manner in which the deportation happened and asserted that India could have sent its own aircraft to bring the deportees back to the country.
"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," the Congress MP said.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parliamentarians today staged a protest demanding a discussion in Parliament over the recent deportation.
Congress MP from Amritsar, Gurujit Singh Aujla was seen joining the protest sporting handcuffs on his hands.
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." (ANI)