Kolkata, February 27 – West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticized the deportation of Indian immigrants from the United States in chains, calling it a "shameful" act. She also questioned the BJP-led central government’s inaction in ensuring a dignified return for the deportees.
Speaking at a party conference in Kolkata, Banerjee lashed out at the Centre for its silence on the matter, condemning the humiliating treatment of Indian nationals who were forcibly sent back under harsh conditions.
"Whenever elections approach, the BJP talks about infiltration, but our citizens are deported from the US in chains. Why? This is a national disgrace," she said.
Drawing comparisons with Colombia, which arranged flights to bring back its nationals who had illegally entered the US, Banerjee questioned why India did not do the same. "If Colombia can send planes for its citizens, why can’t our government ensure a humane return for ours?" she asked.
The West Bengal Chief Minister also recalled how her state government facilitated the return of medical students during the Ukraine war, highlighting the lack of similar efforts from the central government in this case.
BJP Accused of Neglecting Responsibilities
Banerjee further accused the BJP of failing its responsibilities, stating, "They keep repeating ‘infiltration, infiltration,’ but now another country has labeled our people as infiltrators, chained them, and deported them in military planes. The BJP remained preoccupied with their meetings instead of addressing this humiliation faced by our citizens."Her criticism follows reports of multiple deportations of Indian nationals under stringent conditions.
Last Sunday, a US military aircraft carrying 112 deported Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar airport, marking the third such incident. On February 5, another batch of 104 deportees arrived, with 33 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, and 30 from Punjab. Many deportees claimed they were handcuffed and shackled throughout the journey, only to be released after landing in India. Another group of 116 deportees arrived three days later.
Several political leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, have also raised concerns over the Centre’s decision to permit such deportation flights to land in Amritsar.
Banerjee had earlier condemned the US deportations and questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed the “inhumane treatment” of Indian citizens during his recent visit to the US.
These deportations are part of an intensified crackdown by the Donald Trump administration on illegal immigration, affecting thousands of undocumented Indians in the United States.
