External Affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday told the Rajya Sabha that returning deportees from the US were not mistreated. He also mentioned that there was no departure from the past procedure for the flight which landed on Wednesday.
He added that the Centre is engaging with the Trump administration to ensure that the deportees are not mistreated.
Amid din, Jaishankar said: "There has been no change, I repeat, no change from past procedure for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5. We are of course engaging the US government to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner during the flight."
He also explained that the deportations in the US are organised and executed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities. "The SOP of deportation by aircraft used by ICE which is effective from 2012, provides for the use of restraint. We have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained."
The Union Minister further said that all countries are obliged to take back their nationals if it is found that they are living abroad illegally. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 03:30 pm amid continuing protests on the issue.
The US government deported around 104 Indian nationals aboard a C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the American Air Force for illegally arriving in the country. The aircraft landed at 01:55 pm on Wednesday at the Amritsar airport.
The deportees primarily belong to Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat and comprise 19 women and 13 minors.
Jaishankar's address in the Rajya Sabha comes after the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were adjourned till noon amid Opposition protests, led primarily by Congress MPs, against the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants from the US.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that while the US government has every legal right to deport people who entered their country illegally, it is an insult to India if these people are sent aboard a military aircraft.
"They (US government) have every legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country and we, if they are proven to be Indians, have an obligation to receive them, but to send them like this abruptly in a military aircraft and in handcuffs is an insult to India, it's an insult to the dignity of Indians."
Previously, the US Embassy spokesperson said the country is enforcing its border and immigration laws rigorously. He underlined the actions taken send a "clear message that illegal immigrant is not worth the risk."
Last month, the MEA said it would facilitate the return of Indians who are "overstaying" or living in the US without proper documentation.