Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday slammed the Indian government over the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States, stating that the “USA’s plane should not have been allowed to take off” and should have been sent back. Raut suggested that the Indian government should have taken a stronger stance in protecting its citizens and ensuring their dignity.
He argued that once these individuals entered Indian airspace, they should have been treated according to Indian laws, not as criminals. “For us, they are not criminals. The shackles on their feet and hands should have been removed. This was a violation of the law,” Raut said. He further emphasized that once the flight entered Indian airspace, the deportees should have been treated under Indian jurisdiction.
Raut’s statement underlines the complexities surrounding international immigration laws and the treatment of deportees. He criticized the Indian government’s lack of action, pointing out that Indian laws should have applied to the deportees once they were in Indian territory. “They were illegal immigrants for America, but Indian laws should have governed them once the flight entered Indian borders,” Raut added.
The remarks follow the deportation of a group of Indian nationals from the US under stringent immigration enforcement. The incident has ignited a debate on the treatment of deportees and the diplomatic protocols between India and the US.
In addition to his comments on the deportation, Raut announced a press conference scheduled for 12:30 pm, where he, along with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and NCP leader Supriya Sule, will address the media in Delhi.
Earlier, Raut had dismissed exit poll predictions for the Delhi Assembly elections, pointing out discrepancies in past exit poll forecasts. “Exit polls come and go. We saw exit polls in Maharashtra and Haryana where predictions were off the mark. Things will be clear on February 8 at 10 am,” he said.
Raut expressed confidence that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would emerge victorious, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not form the next government. “We are sure that the BJP will not win in Delhi and the AAP will come to power,” Raut said, referencing past exit polls that wrongly predicted victories for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra and Congress in Haryana.
Most exit polls predicted a BJP victory in Delhi, with AAP trailing behind, while Congress was expected to maintain its weak position. Exit poll predictions varied on the margin of BJP’s victory, with one poll estimating the BJP could win 51-60 out of 70 seats, while others predicted an AAP win. These exit polls were released following the conclusion of voting on Wednesday.
