India’s opposition has lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over an alleged ill-treatment ofIndian immigrants deported by the United States and are demanding a discussion in the parliament on Thursday.
A US military plane carrying 104 Indian migrants — deported as part of US President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda — landed in northern India’s Punjab State on Wednesday.
Several Indian newspapers published accounts of some migrants claiming that they were handcuffed and their legs were chained on the US plane, and were later opened when they reached the Amritsar airport.
On Thursday, the deputy leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, the lower house of the country’s parliament, sought an adjournment of the business of the house to discuss the deportations.
Indians treated in ‘degrading’ manner during deportation process
“Reports have surfaced of these individuals being shackled and treated in a degrading manner during their deportation process, raising serious concerns about their human dignity and rights,” Gaurav Gogoi said in his notice to the Lok Sabha’s secretary-general.
Both houses of the parliament were adjourned on Thursday.
Senior leaders of opposition parties, including Congress’ Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, held a protest outside the parliament.
They demanded answers from the Modi government and shouted slogans like “We will not tolerate India’s insult.”
Opposition questions Modi ahead of US visit
The first batch of US deportation to India comes a week ahead of Modi’s scheduled visit to the United States.
The Indian prime minister recently discussed migration and other issues with Trump in a phone call.
The key issue is also expected to come up during next week’s discussions between the two leaders in Washington.
“The Prime Minister’s failure to comment or take concrete steps to engage with the United States on this matter has led to a perception that the government is indifferent to the rights and dignity of Indian nationals,” Gogoi said in his letter.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the deportations in the upper house of the parliament, Rajya Sabha, later on Thursday.
“The Standard Operating Procedure for deportation by aircraft used by the ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement), that is effective from 2012, provides for the use of restraints. However, we have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained,” he said.
Jaishankar added that the needs of deportees during transit are attended to and deportees are temporarily unrestrained during toilet breaks, if needed.
“We are of course engaging the US government to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner during the flight,” he said.
Edited: Wesley Dockery
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