On Wednesday, Opposition MPs protested in Parliament demanding a discussion on the recent deportation of over 100 Indian nationals from the United States. Several members, including Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, were seen wearing handcuffs as part of their protest.
Aujla expressed his concerns, stating, “The way they were brought back was wrong. They were humiliated, with their hands and feet shackled. When the government already knew they were going to be deported, they should have sent a commercial flight to bring them back.” He added, “While they may have entered illegally, they did not commit any major crimes. We have submitted a notice to the Speaker, and a discussion on this issue may take place.”
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav, and other leaders also joined the protest, sporting handcuffs outside Parliament. They held placards that read “Humans, Not Prisoners,” accusing the U.S. of subjecting Indian citizens to inhumane treatment during the deportation.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav condemned the treatment, saying, “Those who promised to make India the ‘Vishwaguru’ are silent now. Indian citizens were deported like slaves under inhumane conditions. The Ministry of External Affairs and the government must answer why they allowed this disrespectful treatment of women and children. We demand that the government address this in Parliament.”
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra raised further concerns, questioning Prime Minister Modi’s role in allowing such an incident despite his close ties with former President Donald Trump. “Couldn’t we have sent our own aircraft to bring them back? This is not how humans should be treated,” she said.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also criticized the U.S. government’s actions, noting that while India and the U.S. share good relations, sending the deported individuals back on a military plane while handcuffed and shackled was “absolutely inhumane.” He called for the Prime Minister and Ministry of External Affairs to issue a statement on the matter.
In response, Congress submitted an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, urging for an immediate discussion on the deportations to protect the dignity of Indian citizens both at home and abroad.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 PM due to the uproar over the issue. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to address the Rajya Sabha at 2 PM on the deportation matter.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, speaking earlier, emphasized that while the U.S. has the right to deport individuals who entered the country illegally, the treatment they received was unnecessary. “Sending them back on a military aircraft, shackled and handcuffed, was inhumane. A civilian plane or charter would have been more appropriate,” Tharoor stated. He further noted that while these individuals may have violated U.S. laws, they are not criminals and sought better treatment for them upon return.
Tharoor also clarified in a tweet that, under the Biden administration, over 1,100 Indian nationals were deported in the previous fiscal year, not under Trump, and that many undocumented Indian immigrants are attempting to cross the U.S. border illegally.
A U.S. Embassy spokesperson had earlier stated that the U.S. is vigorously enforcing its border and immigration laws, sending a clear message that illegal migration is not worth the risk.
