388 Indians deported from US since January 2025: Govt in LS
New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI): Around 388 Indian nationals have been deported from the US since January 2025, the government informed Parliament on Friday.
Of these, 333 Indians were deported directly from the US to India on three separate flights in February. Separately, the US, through Panama, "deported 55 Indian nationals, who arrived on commercial flights", Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said in a written response in the Lok Sabha.
The Ministry of External Affairs was asked whether the Union government has received the details of the persons to be deported from the US this year, and if the government has requested the US officials to provide adequate facilities for them.
The ministry was also asked whether the Prime Minister had raised concerns with the US President and top US officials for the "ill treatment" meted out to the deportees.
In his reply, Kirti Vardhan Singh said, "Of the 388 Indian nationals deported since January, 333 individuals, after verification, were deported directly from the US to India on three separate chartered flights, which landed on 5th, 15th and 16th February 2025 respectively. Separately, the US, through Panama, deported 55 Indian nationals who arrived in India on commercial flights."
"The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities have recently shared with us information pertaining to an additional 295 individuals, who are detained in their custody with final orders of removal from the US. The Ministry of External Affairs, along with other concerned agencies, is currently verifying the details of these individuals," he said.
The MEA was also asked if the government has any plan to "send our own aircraft" to bring back Indians designated as illegal immigrants by the US and are to be deported in the coming days.
The need to promote safe, orderly and legal migration while cracking down on illegal immigration networks was discussed during the recent visit of the Prime Minister to the US on February 12-13, the Minister of State said.
"India's consistent stance against illegal immigration, while seeking humane treatment of deportees, was reiterated. Both sides acknowledged the need to cooperate closely to aggressively address illegal immigration and human trafficking, by taking strong action against bad actors, criminal facilitators and illegal immigration networks," he said.
The US is deporting only those Indian nationals who have been "apprehended for violating the US immigration laws," Singh said.
"Illegal mobility and migration has many other associated activities, also of an illegal nature. Moreover, those of our nationals who have been enticed into illegal migration have themselves become prey to other crimes. Those who have recently returned have testified to their harrowing experiences," he added.
The Government of India is focused on identifying and taking strong action against the illegal immigration agents, the migration rackets and the entire criminal ecosystem, on which such illegal immigration thrives, the Minister of State said.
A batch of 104 Indian immigrants were deported by the US in a C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the US Air Force that landed at the Amritsar airport on February 5. This was the first such batch of Indians deported by the Donald Trump administration as part of a crackdown against illegal immigrants.
The treatment meted out to these deportees had kicked up a nationwide outrage.
"The US Standard Operating Procedure to organise and execute deportations effective from November 2012 calls for the use of restraints on deportees," Singh said.
The ministry has "strongly registered its concerns" with the US authorities on the treatment meted out to deportees on the flight that landed on February 5, particularly with respect to use of shackles, especially on women, he said.
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Karnataka BJP chief urges Speaker to revoke suspension of 18 MLAs
Bengaluru, Mar 22 (PTI): Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Saturday urged Speaker U T Khader to withdraw the suspension order of 18 legislators.
The BJP MLAs were suspended for six months from the Assembly on Friday. They protested against the four per cent reservation bill for Muslims in public contracts, and climbed on the podium where the Speaker was in the seat and threw papers on him.
Addressing reporters at the BJP state office, Jagannath Bhavan, Vijayendra said, "We urge the Speaker to revoke the suspension. We also condemn the decision to suspend BJP legislators, which is entirely illegal, unconstitutional, unilateral, and arbitrary."
The Shikaripura MLA stated that the BJP opposes the government’s decision to grant reservations as "an appeasement to minorities."
"We will fight against this bill both inside and outside the House and take it to a logical conclusion," he said.
Vijayendra also announced the launch of a statewide awareness campaign against the bill, minority appeasement, and what he described as "the humiliation of Hindus."
