"Sad, hurts pride of country": BSP chief Mayawati hits out at centre over US deportation of Indians

New Delhi [India], February 6 : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati on Thursday hit out at the central government over the deportation of Indians from the United States and said that the 104 people, including men, women and children being returned in handcuffs and leg shackles is "sad and hurt the pride of the country."
In a post on X, BSP supremo Mayawati said, "The case of 104 Indians including women and children from Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana etc. being sent back by the US in a military plane in an inhuman manner with handcuffs and leg shackles is very sad and a matter of great concern as it hurts the pride of the country."
The BSP Chief also slammed the Centre for the statement regarding the deportation of the Indian nationals back to Amritsar and said that the remarks from the central government was a 'lipapoti' (cover up) and less satisfactory.
"The statement given by the Central Government in Parliament today regarding the Indians who were sent back in conditions worse than prisoners is more of a cover-up and less satisfactory considering the gravity of the incident and the pain and shame caused to the Indians by it. The Government should take the matter very seriously," she posted in a thread on X.
Adding to another post, Mayawati said, "As part of the policy of making America great again, there is a lot of talk about sending back other Indians living illegally to India, regarding which the Indian government needs to be cautious, so that other Indian families do not have to face such pain and the country does not have to face such disrespect in the future."
Opposition leaders on Thursday criticised the central government over the deportation of the Indians from the United States, alleging that they were sent back in an "inhuman manner."
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar his statement on the US deportation of Indian nationals in Rajya Sabha said that it is the obligation of all nations to take back their nationals if they are found to be residing there illegally. He further said that the Indian government is engaging the US government to ensure that the deportees are not mistreated in any manner.
Furthermore, Jaishankar said that deportations by the US are organised and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE is effective from 2013. He said that there has been no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5.
Opposition MPs on Thursday slammed the centre for the way Indians staying illegally in the United States were deported, questioning the treatment meted out to them.
They also staged a protest outside Parliament premises, raising slogans and holding placards against the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States.
The leaders termed the issue an "insult to India" and demanded immediate government intervention.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi Priyanka Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and several other notable leaders Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, SP MP Dharmendra Yadav were protesting outside parliament.