NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday raised concerns over the deportation of 50 Indian nationals to Panama from the United States as part of the Trump administration’s measures against illegal immigrants.
Expressing concern over the issue, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “We would have thought that Indian citizens deported by the Trump Administration would be sent back to India with dignity.”
“Such deportations have taken place in a most inhuman and demeaning manner. Now come reports that more Indian citizens have been deported but to Panama. What is going on?” he wrote on X.
Echoing the view, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal asked why Indians are being sent to Panama instead of being repatriated to India and what deal did Modi strike during his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
“How is PM Modi allowing our citizens to be treated in this inhumane fashion? This deportation fiasco is becoming a huge insult to our country,” he said in a post on X.
“Barely a week after PM Modi met President Trump and waxed eloquent about their friendship, our citizens are randomly sent to Latin American countries, instead of being respectfully repatriated,” Venugopal said.
“What deal did PM Modi strike that involved suffering total humiliation as part of our bargain?” he asked.
As per sources, the group of Indians were part of a larger group of 299 migrants sent to Panama by the US.
Panama has informed India about safe arrival of a group of Indians deported from the US and the Indian mission in the country is working closely with the host government to ensure their wellbeing after obtaining consular access to them, sources said.