'Why only Amritsar?' Mann asks Centre over US deportation flight decision

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann questioned the Centre's decision to select Amritsar as the landing site, suggesting it was politically motivated

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has slammed the central government over the impending arrival of another aircraft carrying illegal Indian immigrants deported from the United States, accusing the BJP-led Centre of deliberately tarnishing Punjab’s image by choosing Amritsar as the landing site for these deportation flights, reported NDTV.

 

A US military C-17 aircraft, carrying 119 deported Indian nationals, is scheduled to land at Amritsar International Airport on Saturday. The deportees include 67 from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.  

 

 

This follows last week's controversial deportation of 104 Indians, who were chained and shackled on their return to India, sparking public outrage and political debates.  

 

Punjab CM: 'Centre using Amritsar to defame Punjab'

 

Mann also questioned the Centre’s decision to select Amritsar as the landing site, suggesting it was politically motivated.  

 

"A second plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US will land in Amritsar tomorrow. The Ministry of External Affairs should tell the criteria based on which Amritsar was selected to land the aircraft. You select Amritsar to defame Punjab. So, at the time when PM Modi and US President Donald Trump were meeting, they [US authorities] must have been putting shackles on our people. Is this the gift Trump has given?" Mann asked.  

 

The Punjab CM further alleged that the BJP government discriminates against Punjab, using such incidents to malign the state.  

 

"The BJP-led Centre always discriminates against Punjab. It does not let go of any chance of defaming Punjab. As part of a conspiracy, they are trying to defame Punjab and Punjabis," Mann claimed.  

 

BJP hits back, accuses Mann of politicising deportation issue  

 

The BJP dismissed Mann’s accusations, calling them politically motivated.  

 

"Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should avoid doing politics on such sensitive issues. AAP leaders do not care about the security of the country; they only do politics," said BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal.  

 

Mann, however, insisted that despite a large number of deportees being from Gujarat and Haryana, the focus has been mainly on Punjabis.  

 

"Did you see any interviews of the deportees from Gujarat on national television? Only the interviews of Punjab's youths were shown. Even tomorrow, you will go there to take their interview. We strongly object to the plane being made to land in Amritsar," he said.  

 

He also argued that illegal immigration is a nationwide issue, yet Punjab is being singled out.  

 

"It is a deliberate attempt so that it appears that only Punjabis migrate illegally," Mann added.  

 

Mann questions Centre's silence, calls for answers  

 

Mann further expressed frustration over the Centre’s lack of response to his repeated appeals.  

 

"Is this politicising? You tell me. We are political people, and we have won on that basis, we are not an NGO. If caring about the honour of our youths and children is politics, then I will do it 24x7," he said. 

 

The Punjab CM also questioned why deportation flights are not directed to other major airports in the country.  

 

"If a plane carrying former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina can land at Hindon airport in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, and Rafale jets from France can land in Haryana's Ambala, why can't planes carrying deported Indians land in the national capital?" Mann asked.  

 

EAM Jaishankar defends Centre’s stance  

 

Last week in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar defended the government’s handling of the deportations.  

 

He stated that every country is obligated to take back its nationals if they are found living illegally abroad. He also clarified that the deportations were conducted by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under standard procedures that have been in place since 2012.  

 

(With inputs from agencies)