Illegal immigrants / There are more Gujaratis than Punjabis, then why did the plane land in Amritsar only?

104 illegal immigrants returned to India from the US, brought to Amritsar by a military plane. The deportees include 19 women and 13 minors. AAP leader Aman Arora questioned the landing of the plane. Jaspal Singh, a deportee, claimed that they were brought in shackles.

Illegal immigrants: The US recently deported 104 illegal immigrants, who were brought by a military plane that landed at Amritsar airport in Punjab. Among the deported people, 30 were from Punjab, 33 each from Haryana and Gujarat, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh. These also included 19 women, 13 minors (including a four-year-old boy and two girls aged five and seven).

AAP raised questions

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has raised questions on the central government regarding the landing of the plane in Amritsar. Punjab AAP president Aman Arora asked why the plane was landed in Amritsar when the deported people were from all over the country? He said that this decision could be an attempt to build a narrative against Punjab.

Arora further said that if this flight had landed in the national capital Delhi, it would have been a big embarrassment for the central government, which claims strong ties with the US. He believes that this could be an attempt to tarnish the image of Punjabis in particular.

Illegal migration and the donkey route

The US has stepped up its crackdown on illegal migrants after Donald Trump assumed the presidency. Many people from Punjab have entered the US through the donkey route or other illegal means and are now facing deportation.

Deportees brought in shackles

Among the 104 deportees, Jaspal Singh said he was handcuffed and shackled throughout the journey, which were opened only after he landed at the Amritsar airport. Jaspal claimed he was promised a legal flight to the US by a travel agent but was later deceived and forced to cross the border illegally.

Conclusion

The return of those deported from the US has triggered a political controversy. The incident not only highlights the gravity of illegal migration but also shows that political parties have different views on the issue. The central government will have to clarify why the plane landed in Amritsar and how such cases will be handled in the future.