CHANDIGARH: Union Minister and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday referred to the Indian immigrants deported from the US as "criminals" and said "no sympathy" should be shown towards them.
"Those who have entered a country illegally are criminals. There should be no sympathy towards them. Our people undertake these journeys despite being advised against it. They should not take this route. It is as bad as drug addiction. Why should we show sympathy towards them?’’ the minister said when asked about the inhumane conditions the deportees were subjected to.
He also raised concern regarding how to rehabilitate the returned immigrants.
"Whichever way they have been sent back, it is now our worry as to how we have to rehabilitate them,’’ Khattar said.
Khattar's statement comes amid growing criticism against the BJP-led Union Government for its refusal to intervene in the issue of the inhumane treatment of Indian immigrants deported from the US.
As many as 333 illegal immigrants were brought back to India on three US military aircrafts, handcuffed and shackled. The deportees were also subjected to human rights violations prompting criticism from the opposition parties regarding the Centre's inaction.
Speaking of increasing migrations from the country, Khattar cited the example of the Dabri village in Haryana's Karnal, from where over 300 youth had reportedly travelled abroad via the 'Dunky Route'.
Khattar said that during the parliamentary elections last year, he had visited the village and was shocked to find out that there was only one person in the whole village who was a government employee.
Khattar emphasised that travelling via such methods is illegal as there is no surety if the person who goes abroad will be able to return or not.
"This route is very risky,’’ he said.
Khattar's statement comes just a few days ahead of the voting for municipality election which is scheduled to be held on March 2.
The 113 illegal immigrants from the state who have been deported back are mostly from Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal and Hisar.
These deportees had paid travel agents between Rs 40 lakh to Rs 70 lakh and a family of four from Kurukshetra including two minors paid Rs 1.20 crore to reach the US.
The Haryana Police has registered about 20 criminal cases across the state against the travel agents and a few accused have also been arrested.