Chicago – February 06, 2025
Opposition lawmakers in the Indian Parliament caused a disruption on Thursday, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government address concerns about the mistreatment of 104 Indian citizens during their deportation from the United States.
The MPs accused the government of not responding adequately to reports of degrading treatment. The deportees, who were sent back to India a week before US President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Modi, were reportedly handcuffed and shackled during their flight.
The deportation, part of a broader initiative by Trump’s administration, was criticized by opposition Congress Party MP Gaurav Gogoi, who called the process “degrading” and raised serious concerns about the deportees’ human rights and dignity.
The deportees were flown from the US to Amritsar in Punjab, where they were subjected to additional scrutiny before being released. Some were later flown to Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
In response to the criticism, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that India is working with the United States to ensure that undocumented Indian immigrants are treated with respect during deportation. The issue of migration is also expected to come up when President Trump meets Modi in Washington, DC next week.
