EAM Jaishankar to speak in Parliament today over deportation of Indians from US; Rahul Gandhi, other MPs protest

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will make a statement in Parliament today over the issue of deportation of alleged illegal Indian immigrants from the United States of America. 

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that Jaishankar will address Rajya Sabha at 2 pm over the deportation row. Jaishankar will speak in Lok Sabha at 3 pm. 

Jaishankar's statement in the ongoing Budget Session of the Parliament will come after the protests and sloganeering by opposition members earlier in the day.

As soon as Parliament proceedings resumed on Thursday, the opposition MPs demanded a discussion on the deportation of 104 Indian nationals while flagging the inhuman manner in which they were sent back on a US military plane.

Opposition MPs in Lok Sabha took to sloganeering and protested in the well of the House even as Speaker Om Birla appealed to them not to resort to "planned disruptions". 

"Your matter is with the government. This is the matter of the Ministry of External Affairs. This subject is related to another country. The government has taken cognisance of it," Birla said.

The house faced repeated adjournments due to the protests.

As US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal immigrants from various states landed in Amritsar, a viral post circulating on social media showed that Indians were "handcuffed" and “humiliated” while on board the plane, leading the Indian government to clarify the matter.

The PIB Fact Check, however, called the video fake. “A Fake image is being shared on social media by many accounts with a claim that illegal Indian migrants have been handcuffed and their legs chained while being deported by the US. The image being shared in these posts does not pertain to Indians. Instead, it shows those deported to Guatemala,” it said.

A C-17 aircraft carrying Indians?

A C-17 aircraft, reportedly carrying migrants from India, departed from the United States. This C-17 flight marks the first deportation of Indian nationals since US President Donald Trump took office on January 20.

The Pentagon has also started providing flights to deport more than 5,000 immigrants held by US authorities in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California. So far, military aircraft have flown migrants to Guatemala, Peru and Honduras, Reuters reported.

On January 24, the MEA said it would facilitate the return of Indian nationals "overstaying" or residing without proper documentation in the United States or "anywhere in the world."

While addressing a regular press briefing on January 24, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We are against illegal immigration, especially because it is linked to several forms of organised crime.”

Congress MP KC Venugopal on Thursday moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha in the ongoing Budget session of Parliament to discuss the deportation of over 100 Indian nationals by the United States government, news agency ANI reported.

Rahul Gandhi, other Congress MP's protest

The motion urged the government to clarify its stance on the issue and outline the diplomatic measures being taken to engage with US authorities, ensuring the dignified treatment of deported individuals.

Opposition MPs, including Lok Sabha Leader of Oppostion and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, protested outside Parliament over the deportation of alleged illegal Indian immigrants from the US issue.