West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday condemned the deportation of "illegal" Indian immigrants from the United States in chains, calling it “shameful”, while wondering whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had protested the “inhumane treatment” during his recent US visit.
In a scathing criticism of the central government, Banerjee questioned its silence on the deportation of Indian citizens, decrying the lack of dignity in their repatriation, emphasising that the Centre should have ensured their return with respect.
"Those who returned were brought back in chains. Why? It is being said that is their protocol. With due respect to the PM, when you were present [in the US], even then they were brought to India in the same manner. Protocols cannot be different for different countries. Humanity should be above all. But, did you (the PM) lodge a single protest against this," she said.
Banerjee expressed concerns over the "inhumane conditions" under which the deportees were sent back to India, stating that such treatment could have been avoided.
"Had you taken responsibility, they could have returned with dignity. But you did not take any responsibility. Tied with chains on their hands and feet, they had to travel for 40 hours; even women and children were not spared," she said.
Bringing back deportees in chains is “shameful”, the CM said, adding that the Union government should have arranged transport planes to bring them back.
"While you were in the US (on an official visit), illegal immigrants were deported from there in chains. You could have at least said ‘they are our citizens, and we will take them back’. But, no such measure was taken," Banerjee said.
While refusing to comment on national security or foreign policy issues, the chief minister remarked that the Union government could have ensured that Indian citizens were treated with respect.
“These people are not from Bengal, but from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab. You could have said that we are sending a flight and you [the US] can send the illegal immigrants back on those flights. If you would have taken the responsibility, these people could've come back with dignity. But you didn't take the responsibility. In spite of all this, we did not say anything. I wouldn't have said this, but you compelled me to,” Banerjee asserted.
Her comments come in the wake of reports that several illegal immigrants were sent back from the United States under harsh conditions.
A US military aircraft carrying 112 “illegal” Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar airport late on Sunday evening, the third such plane bringing deportees amid a crackdown by the Donald Trump administration against illegal immigrants.
On February 5, a US military aircraft carrying the first batch of 104 illegal Indian immigrants had landed in Amritsar. Of the deportees in the first batch, 33 were from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat and 30 from Punjab. The deportees claimed their hands and legs were cuffed throughout the journey, and they were unshackled only after landing in Amritsar.
On Saturday evening, a second aircraft brought 116 deportees from the United States, amid questions raised by several political leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, over the BJP-led Centre's move to allow planes carrying immigrants to land in Amritsar.
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