NEW DELHI, Feb 21: The Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday over the deportation of Indians from the US to Panama and asked him why is he allowing such “inhumane treatment” to be meted out to the deportees, which is an insult to the country.
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.
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“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 to India (sic),” Venugopal said.
“What deal did PM Modi strike that involved suffering total humiliation as part of our bargain?” he asked.
Panama has informed India about the 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.
The embassy of India in Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua took to X on Thursday to share the information but did not provide data on the number of Indians arriving in Panama.
The group of Indians was part of a larger group of 299 migrants sent to Panama by the US government.
These people arrived in the country on three planes last week, after President Jose Raul Mulino agreed that Panama would become a “bridge” country for deportees.
The Trump administration has pledged to deport millions of people who crossed illegally into the US.
“Panamanian authorities have informed us that a group of Indians has reached Panama from the US,” the embassy of India in Panama, Nicaragua and Costa Rica said in a post on X.
“They are safe and secure at a hotel with all essential facilities. The embassy team has obtained consular access. We are working closely with the host government to ensure their wellbeing,” it said.
Three batches comprising a total of 332 Indians have already been sent back to India from the US amid an intensified crackdown by the Trump administration against illegal immigrants.
Of the 299 undocumented migrants who have landed in Panama, only 171 have agreed to return to their countries of origin. (PTI)
