Chandigarh (National Times): Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal recently expressed his outrage over the inhumane treatment of Indian deportees from the United States, particularly highlighting the physical restraints imposed during their journey back. After meeting the second batch of deported immigrants at Amritsar Airport on Saturday, Dhaliwal condemned the US authorities for binding the hands and feet of deported Indians, despite protests. “You will be very sad to know that once again, during the entire journey, American soldiers had tied the hands and feet of our Indian people. Despite such a huge protest, they were treated inhumanly,” Dhaliwal said.
The Minister also reiterated his promise to hold fraudulent travel agents accountable, emphasizing the importance of legal action against those responsible for sending people abroad illegally. “I had promised the Punjabi people who were victims of fraudulent travel agents that if they file complaints about the fraud they were subjected to, legal action will be taken immediately, with FIRs filed against these agents. Sending someone abroad illegally is a major legal offense,” he stated.
However, while the Punjab government has strongly criticized the US for its treatment of deportees, concerns have arisen regarding the state’s action—or lack thereof—on the fraudulent agents who enable illegal migration. The first deportation flight, which arrived earlier this month with 104 Indian nationals, included 30 Punjabis. Yet, only 10 cases against fraudulent travel agents have been filed to date. Now, with an additional 67 deported Punjabis arriving on the second flight, questions are being raised about why the government is waiting for individual complaints before taking action.
Many critics argue that it is the responsibility of the government, not the victims, to take proactive measures against the travel agents who prey on vulnerable individuals seeking to migrate illegally. “Why is the Punjab government relying solely on complaints from the victims before taking action?” questioned one local observer. “It’s the responsibility of the government to tackle these fraudulent agents, not just wait for the victims to step forward.”
While the Union Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, has explained in Parliament that US policy mandates the handcuffing of deported individuals, this has done little to ease tensions in Punjab. Minister Dhaliwal and others in the state government have called for the central government to pressure the US to alter its policy merely for India considering PM Modi’s friendship with US President Donald Trump. However, critics have countered that the focus should instead be on addressing the root cause of the issue—the illegal migration facilitated by these fraudulent travel agents operating within Punjab.
The ongoing issue raises critical questions about the Punjab government’s approach to the crisis. The government is pushing for changes to US policy, but why is it not addressing its own internal problem of illegal migration and holding the agents accountable without waiting for victims to file complaints? As more deported Punjabis return, the pressure on the state government to take swift and decisive action grows.
