Congress Raises Stink Over Centre's Decision To Let US Deportation Flight Land In Amritsar And Not In Delhi

The Congress party has questioned the central government's decision to allow a US military aircraft carrying deported Indians to land in Amritsar instead of the national capital, suggesting that the choice of location was influenced by "perception" and "narrative-building."

Congress' Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh highlighted that more deportees were from other states, including Gujarat, than from Punjab.

"When Punjab demands international flights, permissions are granted only to Delhi airports to deny Punjab economic benefits. But when it comes to running a defaming narrative, a US deportation flight lands in Punjab - even though most deportees are from Gujarat and Haryana," he wrote on X.

"The Gujarat model was projected, but now, for the sake of building narrative and perception, Amritsar was chosen as the destination," he added.

He also questioned why so many people from Gujarat were settling abroad illegally if the Gujarat model was so successful. Furthermore, he criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's silence on the issue and mocked his claims of "reverse migration."

Ajaypal Singh Brar, president of the socio-political organisation Misl Satluj, described the deportations as a clear demonstration of political and military dominance by the Trump administration.

Brar argued that the use of a military aircraft such as the C-17 for deportation-despite it being five to eight times more costly than a civilian flight-was a deliberate assertion of power just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US.

He criticised the Centre's decision to allow the deportation flight to land in Amritsar rather than Delhi, calling it a face-saving measure.

He contended that had the flight arrived in the national capital, it would have been a major embarrassment for a government that claims to have strong ties with the US administration.

The deportees include 31 from Punjab, 33 from Gujarat, 35 from Haryana, three from Uttar Pradesh, and two from Maharashtra.

Punjab Congress' Bholath legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira condemned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's "insensitive attitude" for not personally receiving the Punjabis deported from the US.

Punjab's Minister for NRI Affairs, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, stated, "I met the boys, and the majority of them said they went to the US through agents in Dubai... There is a sword of deportation or jail hanging over the heads of Indians who moved there. PM Modi, who supported Trump during his election campaign, should now use his friendship to resolve the issue. What is the usefulness of this friendship if it cannot help Indian citizens in need?" he added.