Mamata questions Central govt’s silence on ‘inhumane deportation’ of Indians from the US

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Thursday condemned the deportation of “illegal” Indian immigrants from the United States in chains, calling it “shameful” and questioned why the Centre did not send planes  to bring them back.

“Whenever elections approach, the BJP talks about infiltration but our citizens are deported from the US in chains. Those who returned were brought back in chains. Why? It is a matter of shame for the country,” Banerjee said, addressing a party conference of TMC’s elected representatives, leaders and functionaries at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata.

Illegal Indian immigrants were brought back from the US in a military aircraft in several batches this month amid a crackdown by President Donald Trump’s government against illegal immigrants.

Banerjee, who is also the Chief Minister of Bengal, referred to Colombia which arranged planes to bring back its citizens and questioned why the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre could not do the same.

“If Colombia can send planes to bring back its citizens, why can’t our Central government ensure a humane return for our people?” she asked decrying the lack of dignity in the repatriation process questioning the centre’s alleged silence on the matter.

Banerjee claimed that when Bengal medical students from war-torn Ukraine returned to Bengal in 2022, her government made arrangements for their admission to various medical colleges in the state.

There were 422 returnees in Bengal from Ukraine, of which 409 were MBBS students, three were studying a dental course and one was pursuing a veterinary course. Six were engineering students and three were labourers.

In the first batch, images of over 100 Indian illegal immigrants deported from the United States in a military aircraft in handcuffs and leg restraints triggered an uproar in Parliament during the Budget Session, prompting questions about the Standard Operation Procedures (SOP).

Amid Opposition protests, Union External Affairs minister, S Jaishankar told the Parliament that India is engaging with the United States to ensure that the Indians being deported are not mistreated.