NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said that the arrival of a second US aircraft carrying deported Indian nationals would be a “test for Indian diplomacy.” The flight, carrying a fresh batch of illegal immigrants, is set to land in Amritsar.
Chidambaram, in a post on X said, “All eyes will be on the US aircraft landing 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.”
His remarks come in the wake of widespread criticism over the February 5 deportation, where several Indian nationals were reportedly shackled during transit. The opposition had condemned the treatment as “inhumane.” However, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) later clarified that the deportees on the previous flight were individuals classified by the US authorities under ‘national security‘ cases, which warranted a non-standard deportation process.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri on February 7 in a press briefing said, “We have been very transparent with our US counterparts on this issue, including the use of a military airplane. The deportation that took place the day before yesterday is somewhat different from earlier flights that have been happening for many years. As you would be aware, this case is of a slightly different nature because, in the US system itself, it was described as a national security operation, and that is perhaps one of the reasons why a military aircraft was used.”
On February 5, a US Air Force aircraft carrying 104 Indian citizens who had entered the United States illegally landed in Amritsar, Punjab. The incident has sparked strong political reactions, with Chidambaram criticising the MEA’s handling of the situation.
He alleged that the government had prior knowledge of the deportation but failed to ensure dignified treatment for the returnees. He further questioned whether external affairs minister S Jaishankar had raised the issue of deportation protocols when he met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.Chidambaram also accused the government of neglecting the welfare of Indian nationals, stating that it was aware of the 483 more Indians identified for deportation but did not take proactive steps. He asked whether India had offered to send its own aircraft to bring back these individuals and whether it planned to do so for future deportations.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann also slammed the central government, alleging that Amritsar was being “deliberately chosen” as the landing site to malign Punjabis.”There is a conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis. The first plane landed in Amritsar, and now the second one too. The MEA should clarify the criteria used to select Amritsar as the landing site. Why not Ahmedabad or Delhi?” Mann questioned.
He further alleged that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Donald Trump were engaging in diplomatic meetings, US authorities were simultaneously shackling Indian deportees.
Expressing concerns over national security, Mann remarked, “America’s military planes are landing in Amritsar, just 40 km away from Lahore. What kind of foreign policy is this?” He called upon the MEA and MHA to divert the aircraft’s route and ensure it lands in Delhi, Hindon, or Ahmedabad instead.