Indian Overseas Congress slams US for handcuffing Indians deportees on military plane

AMRITSAR: The Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) strongly objected to the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants, who were reportedly handcuffed and transported aboard a US military aircraft back to India.
Condemning the treatment as undignified, the IOC stressed that these Indians were not criminals but victims of difficult circumstances and vowed to raise the issue at every level.
"We, the people of Indian origin, are deeply disturbed to learn that Indian nationals who were illegally staying in the US were shackled and sent back to India on a military aircraft. This is unacceptable," said Rajwinder Singh, a senior IOC leader, while speaking to TOI over the phone from California on Wednesday. He stated that an online meeting was held with IOC leaders in the US and Europe to condemn the mistreatment of fellow Indians, the use of a military aircraft for deportation, and India's decision to allow the plane to land.
Citing the Colombian President’s refusal to grant permission for a US military aircraft carrying deportees to land in Colombia, Mohinder Singh, a resident of New York, questioned why the Indian government allowed such a plane to land in India.
"We wonder why the Indian government permitted a US military aircraft to transport deported Indians when they could have easily been sent back on civilian flights," he said, adding that this decision made India appear weak in the eyes of the international community.
"We also suspect that the military aircraft could be equipped with high-end surveillance equipment or that there might be other strategic reasons behind allowing a military plane to be used for this purpose," he opined.
Shudh Singh from Dallas added that IOC members from Europe also attended the meeting, where everyone strongly condemned the treatment of these Indians by the US, particularly the use of handcuffs and a military aircraft.
"We have decided to make this a major issue, especially regarding India’s apparent deference to the US government, both through Congress leadership in India and at the global level," he said. "This has left us hanging our heads in shame," he added.