Chidambaram calls deportation of Indian migrants from US a "test" for diplomacy

New Delhi: Congress leader P Chidambaram remarked that the arrival of a second US aircraft carrying Indian citizens allegedly involved in illegal migration would be a "test" for Indian diplomacy.

In a post on X, Chidambaram stated, "All eyes will be on the US aircraft which will land today in Amritsar bringing back illegal immigrants. Will the deportees be handcuffed and their legs tied with ropes? It is a test for Indian diplomacy."

On February 5, a US Air Force plane had brought Indian citizens, who were allegedly involved in illegal immigration, to Amritsar, Punjab. A total of 104 Indian nationals were aboard the plane when it landed in Amritsar.

Addressing the issue, Chidambaram accused the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of having "crumbled badly" in managing the deportation process of Indian nationals from the United States. He questioned whether External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the matter of sending Indians identified as illegal immigrants by the US under Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) during his meeting with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.

The Congress leader further asserted that the government was aware of the planned deportations, which included deportees being handcuffed and their legs tied with ropes. He also asked whether the government had offered to send its own aircraft to bring back the Indian citizens and if it would send planes for the 483 more Indians identified as illegal immigrants by the US.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann sharply criticised the Centre over the deportation of Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the United States. He expressed concerns that Amritsar was deliberately chosen to depict that only Punjabis were involved in illegal migration.

"There is a conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis. The first plane landed in Amritsar. Now, a second plane (carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US) will land in Amritsar. The MEA should tell the criteria based on which Amritsar was selected to land the aircraft. You select Amritsar to defame Punjab. At the time when PM Modi and (US President) Trump were meeting, they (US authorities) must have been putting shackles on our people. Is this the gift Trump has given? America's military planes are landing in Amritsar, and an enemy country, Pakistan, is right next to it. Lahore is 40 km from there. What kind of foreign policy is this?" the Punjab CM said.

He also questioned why Ahmedabad or any other location was not selected instead.

"I will strictly oppose this. I demand to the MEA and the MHA that the plane is still onboard, change the route and make it land in Delhi, Hindon or Ahmedabad," CM Mann said. | ANI