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Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday 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 are protesting precisely this issue, that the manner in which the US did what they did was really unacceptable," Tharoor told ANI as Opposition MPs protested at the Parliament premises demanding a discussion in both Houses over the deportation. "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." "They came back, and we were quietly able to reabsorb them back in their own country... He (PM Modi) is going to be in the US next week. We certainly hope that he strongly conveys to the Americans that while they can send people back, they have every legal right, but they cannot do it in this way," Tharoor said. Several Opposition MPs including Amritsar MP Gurujit Singh Aujla were 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." 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. 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)
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