Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday expressed concern over images showing Indian nationals being handcuffed while being deported from the United States. His remarks followed reports that the US was using military aircraft to facilitate deportations to India.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Looking at the pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated while being deported from the US saddens me as an Indian. I remember in December of 2013, an Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was handcuffed and strip-searched in America. Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh registered a strong protest with US Ambassador Nancy Powell.”
Khera recalled the Indian government’s response to the 2013 incident, highlighting that then-Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh had lodged a strong protest with the US.
He also noted that former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, along with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sushil Kumar Shinde, refused to meet a visiting US Congressional delegation at the time.
“The UPA government retaliated sharply. Leaders like Ms Meira Kumar, Sushil Kumar Shinde & Rahul Gandhi refused to meet the US Congressional delegation (George Holding, Pete Olson, David Schweikert, Rob Woodall, and Madeleine Bordallo) that was visiting India at that time. Dr Manmohan Singh termed the US action ‘deplorable’. Government of India withdrew several perks given to the US embassy, including imports of food and alcohol at concessional rates by embassy staff. Income Tax department started investigating the American Embassy School. John Kerry expressed regrets at the treatment given to Devyani Khobragade. US administration called up Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh to convey the regrets of the USA,” Khera added in his post.
Following reports of a US military plane deporting migrants to India, a US Embassy spokesperson on Tuesday said, “I have received a number of inquiries on the report of a deportation flight to India. I can’t share any details on those inquiries, but I can share, on the record, that the United States is vigorously enforcing its border, tightening immigration laws, and removing illegal migrants. These actions send a clear message: illegal migration is not worth the risk.”
Citing US officials, a news agency reported that a US military aircraft is deporting migrants to India, marking the farthest destination for such flights under the Trump administration. So far, military aircraft have flown migrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras.
Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that it would facilitate the return of Indian nationals “overstaying” or residing without proper documentation in the United States or “anywhere in the world.”
Also Read: US Deportation Flight Carrying 205 Indians, Including 33 Gujaratis, to Arrive in Amritsar