Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau
A second aircraft carrying 119 deported Indians from the US is set to land at Amritsar airport on Saturday. More than half of them are from Punjab. Another flight carrying deportees is expected on February 16.
It remains unclear whether a US aircraft will bring the deportees or if the Indian government has arranged a flight.
On February 5, a C-17 aircraft with 104 Indians landed in Amritsar, largely with passengers from Haryana, Gujarat and Punjab. Sources said the second group of deportees, unlike those on the first flight, will likely not be in chains. The Centre had faced criticism over the treatment of passengers on the first flight.
The alleged “dehumanisation” of the deportees had led to pandemonium in Parliament, and the External Affairs Minister had promised to take up the issue with the US government.
The second flight is expected to arrive at Amritsar International Airport between 10 pm and 11 pm on Saturday. Sources said those on board include 67 from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from UP, two each from Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and one each from Goa, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
On the first flight, most of the deportees had taken the illegal “dunkey” route to enter the US. Many had undertaken journeys lasting months after paying huge sums to unscrupulous agents. Ever since their return, the Punjab and Haryana governments have arrested many such agents.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, the issue of illegal immigration was discussed with President Donald Trump.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “They committed to streamlining avenues for legal mobility of students and professionals and facilitating short-term tourist and business travel while also committing to aggressively addressing and tackling illegal immigration and human trafficking. There is a commitment from both sides to take decisive action against elements that threaten public and diplomatic safety and security, as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both nations. There is a commitment to strengthen law enforcement in this regard, especially significant from our perspective given some events that have taken place.”
