Amid controversy over the “disrespectful” deportation of over 100 Indian nationals by the United States, a Punjab resident, who was among the deportees, has shared harrowing details of his ordeal, revealing how he was duped and sent abroad by “donkey” route.
“I was lied to that I would be sent legally, but I was sent by the ‘donkey’ route. I faced a lot of difficulties on the way.. Now that I am back here, I will work here,” he told a news agency.
Advertisement
Further detailing the challenges and humiliation he faced – first at the US border and then while being deported, he said, “I crossed the border with difficulty and reached there in eight months. I was jailed at the US border for 20 days and then sent back. Our hands and feet were chained, and we were told that we were being deported to India.”
Advertisement
A US military plane landed in Amritsar, Punjab on Wednesday to deport over 100 Indian nationals, who allegedly entered the United States illegally.
“It took us 40 hours to reach Amritsar Airport. Everyone was chained except for the children. Now we will do farming here. The local MLA has said that the government will help us. We request the government to help us in getting our money back. We were lied to and sent illegally via the donkey route,” the man recounted.
The “humiliation” meted out to the Indian deportees has become a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Opposition MPs slamming his government for not ensuring a respectful return of the Indian citizens.
Speaking about the issue, Akhilesh took a dig at the BJP-led NDA government, saying why are those who showed the dream of making India a “Vishwauru” silent now.
“Indian citizens are deported to India by being handcuffed like slaves and in inhumane conditions. What is the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) doing? What did the govt do to protect children and women from this disrespect? We want the government to reply to this and allow the opposition to discuss the issue in Parliament…,” he said.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who claims to be the “good friend” of US President Donald Trump, allowed this to happen. “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,” she demanded.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha that the Indian government is engaging the US government to ensure Indians being deported are not mistreated in any manner.
“…We are engaging the US government to ensure the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner,” he said.
Jaishankar also assured the House that law enforcement agencies will take exemplary action on agents facilitating such illegal immigration.
“…the House will appreciate that our focus should be on strong crackdown against the illegal immigration industry. On the basis of information provided by the deportees, the law enforcement agencies will take necessary, preventive and exemplary action against the agents and such agencies,” he added.
Advertisement
