New Delhi, Feb 7 (UNI) India has always stressed to the US authorities that they should behave properly with the Indians being deported, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said today, and added that the US has informed them of “487 presumed Indian citizens with final removal orders”.
Answering a barrage of questions on the manner in which 104 Indian nationals were deported by the US, with their hands in cuffs and feet bound in shackles which has incensed the nation, the Foreign Secretary said: “We have been in touch with the US authorities on these issues and have always stressed that they should behave properly with those being deported.”
Asked to provide a figure of the number of Indians who were set to be deported for staying illegally in the US, he said: “In recent conversations with the US we sought details of potential returnees, and were told there are 487 presumed Indian citizens with final removal orders. We have sought details, and they have provided details of 298 people so far.”
He cited EAM S Jaishankar’s statement in Parliament on Thursday where he said the deportation of Indians from the US was done “under standard deportation procedure which provides for the use of restraints”.
“This is a laid down procedure and in force since 2012,” the FS added.
He said the Standard Operation Procedures being followed by the US with regard to deportations are on for many years.
“There was no change from past procedures” with regard to sending the Indians back in a US military plane, instead of a commercial flight, he said.
“The nature of the flight was determined by the characterisation of a national security operation, and there was a request made that this would be the quickest way,” he added. “We remain open to exploring other forms of travel as well.”
The FS said that whenever they learn of any “bad behaviour” by the US side in their treatment of Indian deportees it is raised with the US side.
He said India does make its concerns known regarding treatment of deportees to the US “that such treatment can be avoided”, he added.
He said that India has to first verify that the person being deported is a bonafide citizen of India. “We have been in close communication with the US on the matter, and whenever information is provided we do due diligence,” he added.
“With any country that is able to provide information that they (deportees) are our nationals and if we are able to verify their nationality we do take them back,” he added.
The FS said the “real cancer is the system that promotes illegal migration, that sends innocent people with the false promise of jobs. There is need for action against them and the government will work for that,” he added.
