External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that the deportation of Indians from the US was done “under standard deportation procedure which provides for the use of restraints”, following uproar over the handcuffing of the 104 Indians who were deported yesterday in a US aircraft.
EAM told the Rajya Sabha that the deportation is done by the US Immigration and Customs Department, and the process has been effective from 2012.
He said that Indians were being deported from 2009 onwards, and cited numbers.
“The process of deportation is not a new one, it has been ongoing for several years,” he said.
“We have made arrangements that women and children are not restrained”, during the deportation flight, he added.
“And that food and medical aid are arranged, and that the handcuffs are taken off during toilet breaks,” he added.
He said the procedure is applicable to the deportation on chartered military aircraft and commercial aircraft.
“There is no change from past procedures,” he added.
He said that India is engaging with the US government to ensure that deportees are not treated badly.
Jaishankar said that there should be a strong crackdown on illegal migration.
He added that on the basis of the information provided by the deportees, the law enforcement agencies will take appropriate action against those who were aiding illegal migration.
