AAP, Cong criticise Haryana govt for using 'prison buses' for deportees

The AAP and the Congress on Sunday slammed the BJP-led Haryana government for allegedly sending buses meant for prisoners to the Amritsar airport to take back the deportees hailing from the state.

A US military aircraft carrying 116 illegal Indian immigrants from the US landed at the Amritsar International Airport late on Saturday night. The fresh batch of deportees included 65 immigrants from Punjab and 33 from Haryana.

Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Power Minister Harbhajan Singh received the Indian deportees at the airport on Saturday night.

Taking a dig at neighbouring Haryana, Dhaliwal, an AAP leader, said that like last time (February 5), the state again sent two buses used to transport prisoners to take back its citizens.

"I request Anil Vij, who is the transport minister, that they should not send buses used for prisoners..," Dhaliwal said.

On February 5, the US had deported 104 illegal Indian immigrants to Amritsar. Of them, 33 each were from Haryana and Gujarat, and 30 from Punjab.

Senior Congress leader from Haryana Randeep Singh Surjewala also took a dig at the Nayab Singh Saini government over the issue.

"When the need is that we stand firmly with these youth, protect their shattered self-respect, Chief Minister Saini and his government are taking the youth of Haryana from Amritsar to Haryana like prisoners in a prison van," Surjewala posted on X in Hindi.

"...First insult and humiliation in a foreign country, now facing embarrassment in one's own country," Surjewala said.

When Haryana Transport Minister Vij was asked by reporters in Ambala to comment on Dhaliwal's remarks, he said he was not aware of who had said what.

However, on the buses meant to transport prisoners, Vij said, "I will find out from the department."  Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also slammed the Haryana government over the issue, saying that the Punjab government brings its people with honour "and not like Haryana, which sends prisoner vans to bring back the people from that state".

Another plane carrying a third batch of over 100 illegal Indian immigrants from the US including many from Haryana is set to land at Amritsar Sunday night.

Meanwhile, on Sunday evening, two luxury buses sent by Haryana were seen parked outside the airport in Amritsar to take back deportees from the state.