The US is set to deport 295 more Indians, with details coming out of women being shackled during the journey. The Modi government's claim has sparked outrage, but still, Washington hasn't even bothered to share the total number of Indians illegally residing in the US.
Since Trump's return to the White House, 388 Indians have already been sent back, with EAM S. Jaishankar simply passing on the numbers to Parliament. Now, the US has dumped details of 295 more individuals in ICE custody, while Indian officials scramble to verify their identities.
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The real shocker is the inhumane treatment meted out to deportees. The US has been shamelessly using restraints on them since 2012, all under the pretext of "security."
While women and minors are supposed to be spared, the final call rests with the flight officer. The fact that shackled women allegedly arrived on Indian soil on February 5 is a cause of concern for the community.
India claims to have "strongly objected" to the US, but words mean little without action. The US, of course, contrasts the Indian government's report, claiming that no women or children were restrained on flights arriving on February 15 and 16.
However, Indian agencies have backed this up after interviews with the deportees. But unless the Modi government takes a firm stand, Indians abroad will continue to face humiliating treatment, with no one to stand up for them.