Modi questioned on ‘handcuffed’ deportees from US
AMRITSAR, India—Indian opposition lawmakers questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and demanded a discussion in parliament on Thursday over what they said was ill-treatment of 104 Indian immigrants deported by the United States.
A US military plane carrying the immigrants landed on Wednesday in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar in Punjab state, part of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
The deportation came a week before Trump is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington.
All immigrants, barring children, were handcuffed during the flight, The Times of India and the Indian Express newspapers reported, quoting unnamed officials in Punjab who said they had spoken to the deportees.
The deportees underwent hours of scrutiny at Amritsar airport before police escorted them out in small groups in police vehicles. Reuters was unable to speak to the immigrants.
‘Shackled’
Some of them were flown on a regular flight to Ahmedabad in Gujarat state on Thursday, closer to their homes, said a police official, who did not want to be identified as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
They were escorted out of the Ahmedabad airport by security personnel, according to a Reuters witness.
Most of the others are from Punjab or the neighboring state of Haryana, police have said.
“Reports have surfaced of these individuals being shackled and treated in a degrading manner during their deportation process, raising serious concerns about their human dignity and rights,” opposition Congress party lawmaker Gaurav Gogoi said in a notice to the secretary general of the lower house of parliament.
Gov’t response
In a separate notice by another Congress party lawmaker, Manickam Tagore urged Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to make an immediate statement in parliament clarifying the Modi government’s stand and steps taken to address the issue.
The Indian foreign ministry and the US embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Both houses of parliament were adjourned on Thursday as opposition lawmakers shouted slogans demanding a government response.
Migration has been among the key issues discussed by India and the United States since Trump assumed office last month, and is also expected to come up during Trump’s talks with Modi.
