Opposition leaders slam government; say US deported Indian nationals in "inhumane manner"

New Delhi : Opposition leaders on Thursday criticised the central government over the deportation of 104 Indians from the United States, alleging that they were sent back in an "inhuman manner."
The Congress leader claimed that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government had "insulted" the 140 crore Indians after 104 people, including men, women and children, were returned to Amritsar from the US in handcuffs and shackles.
Speaking to ANI, Surjewala said, "The Prime Minister Modi government has insulted the 140 crore Indians. The way 104 Indians including women, men and children were sent back to Amritsar from the US in handcuffs and shackles in an inhuman manner has shamed the country. Unfortunately, we expected the Prime Minister to have responded to this deportation with 'chappan inch ka seena' (a 56-inch)."
"Today after EAM gave his statement about the deportation in the Rajya Sabha, four questions were asked. Did the government know that the US is planning to deport 7.25 lakhs Indians from their country? What is the Modi government doing about it, there was no answer," Surjewala added.
"We also asked why were the 104 Indians deported from the US in shackles for 40 hours. But there was no answer from the government. The other question we asked was whether the Indians who went to earn their living out of the country were terrorists. To which they did not have any answer," he added.
"We also inquired about the thousands of Indians held in detention centres in the US how are they treated there, and why India gave no consular access to them. We asked that when a small country like Columbia can raise concerns with the USA with regard to the deportation of its citizens then why can't the Modi government do the same?" stated Surjewala. "The reality is that PM Modi govt is the weakest government in the last 75 years," he added.
Earlier, Congress MP Surjewala stated that more than 7.25 lakh Indian citizens went to the US in search of a better life because the Centre failed to fulfil its 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's government ran away from the promise of creating 2 crore jobs annually and there is 40 per cent unemployment in the country. 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.
Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan also spoke to ANI on the deportation of Indian citizens and said, "We have given notices in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on this issue. This is inhuman treatment given by the US. The way they were brought back in handcuffs, had they done any crime? This is a matter of insult to the country. The government should take the Opposition in confidence and tell what action the government is taking against this."
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee also responded to the same and said, "Normally, we don't speak on foreign affairs but the way they have been deported with handcuffs, that is not acceptable... It is a gross violation of Human rights. I sincerely believe that the Indian government should express a high dissent."
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi while speaking to ANI about the deportation said, "The way they were sent back, they were chained and were not even allowed to use the washroom, I want to remind America that they are not criminals. They are sent in a humiliating manner and it is not acceptable to the nation."
"On one hand, PM Modi says that US President Donald Trump is his friend and on the other hand, our citizens are treated like this. It goes against the dignity and respect of the nation. Sending them like this in shackles is not acceptable. Small countries are standing against this but we have not even expressed objection," she added.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram told ANI, "While I understand the US's legal position of deporting people who entered their country without valid documentation, they may do it with dignity, particularly when it involves citizens of a country with which it has friendly relations. It is incumbent upon our government to communicate through diplomatic channels that while they are at liberty to implement their law they may do it with dignity."
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar his statement on the US deportation of Indian nationals in Rajya Sabha said that it is the obligation of all nations to take back their nationals if they are found to be residing there illegally. He further said that the Indian government is engaging the US government to ensure that the deportees are not mistreated in any manner.
Furthermore, Jaishankar said that deportations by the US are organised 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.
"Deportations by the US are organized and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities. The standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE has been effective since 2012. I repeat, that is effective from 2012 and provides for the use of restraints. However, we have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained. Further, the needs of deportees including during transit, related to food and other necessities, including possible medical emergencies are attended to. During toilet breaks, deportees are temporarily unrestrained if needed in that regard," Jaishankar said.
Several opposition MPs on Thursday 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, Priyanka 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.
Opposition parliamentarians also 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.
Voicing his concerns, Aujla said, "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."
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, Samajwadi Party (SP) 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 MP Shashi Tharoor said that how the United States deported over 100 Indian nationals recently was unacceptable, adding that the Opposition hopes Prime Minister Narendra Modi will raise this issue with the US administration during his visit next week.
"We believe they have a legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country. And if they are proven to be Indian nationals, we have a legal obligation to admit them, to accept them in our country. But the manner in which it was done, in handcuffs, squeezed into a military aircraft, in such an abrupt manner, is not acceptable," he added.
The Congress MP pointed out that under the Biden administration last year, 1100 Indians were deported, but there was "no incident, no such humiliation, no problem."
Opposition parties staged a protest outside Parliament premises, raising slogans and holding placards against the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States.
The leaders termed the issue an "insult to India" and demanded immediate government intervention.
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.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also 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 govt to reply to this and allow the opposition to discuss the issue in parliament."