Indian migrants deported from US to arrive in Amritsar on February 15, 16
PTC Web Desk: The United States is set to deport another group of undocumented Indian immigrants, with two flights scheduled to bring them back to India this week. The deportation process has been completed. It comes at a time when the Opposition in India is raising concerns over the issue.
It is learnt that the first flight, carrying 119 illegal Indian immigrants, is set to depart today and will arrive in Amritsar tomorrow (Saturday). The second flight is scheduled to land in India at 10 pm on February 16, although the exact number of passengers on this flight remains unclear.
This comes after a previous US deportation flight carrying 104 undocumented Indians landed in Amritsar. Most of the deportees were reportedly from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat.
The issue of deportation has sparked political debate in India, with the opposition accusing the government of inhumane treatment of deportees, including allegations of them being handcuffed and shackled. In response, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar clarified in Parliament that the US has been deporting undocumented immigrants for years and presented year-wise data to support his statement.
During his recent US visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made his stance clear, stating that India would accept its citizens deported from the US if their Indian citizenship is confirmed. He said the issue of undocumented immigrants was not exclusive to India but a global concern. PM Modi said, “Those who reside illegally in other countries have no legal right to stay there. If an individual’s Indian citizenship is verified, India is prepared to take them back.”
- With inputs from agencies
