S. Jaishankar's Response on the Immigration Video

The issue of the deportation of Indian nationals who illegally immigrated from the U.S. became a major topic of discussion in Parliament. In this context, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha, clarified that India is working with the U.S. government to ensure that Indian nationals who have been deported do not face any abuse. He stated that the decisions being taken by the U.S. are part of their standard procedure. However, opposition parties strongly reacted to this matter. Congress MP K.C. Venugopal, along with several other opposition MPs, protested in the Parliament premises by wearing handcuffs to express their concerns over the protection of the rights of Indian immigrants.

On Wednesday, the U.S. government deported 104 Indian nationals and sent them to Amritsar on a special flight. Many of them were identified as being from the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat. The victims claimed that during the journey, they were restrained with handcuffs on their hands and chains on their legs. A video related to this incident, released by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Chief Michael Banks, became controversial. As a result, there was a significant uproar in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. While opposition members raised protests, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla mentioned that the matter would be addressed by the Ministry of External Affairs. However, the opposition continued their protests, and the session was temporarily adjourned.

To discuss this issue further, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal introduced an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha. He demanded that the Indian government explain the diplomatic actions it is taking with the U.S. on this matter. Jaishankar confirmed that the men were handcuffed, but assured that women and children were not subjected to such treatment. He explained that, according to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), such actions are taken for security reasons and have been in place since 2012.

The deportation of 104 Indian nationals led to protests from opposition MPs, which caused disruptions in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In the Lok Sabha, opposition MPs raised slogans to express their dissatisfaction, while Speaker Om Birla urged them not to engage in "planned disruptions." "Your issue is with the government. This pertains to the Ministry of External Affairs. This is a matter involving another country. The government has taken this into consideration," Om Birla stated. However, MPs continued their protests, leading to a brief suspension of the session. Earlier, K.C. Venugopal introduced the adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, requesting the government to elaborate on the diplomatic actions being taken with the Trump administration.

For more updates, visit Vaartha.