ITANAGAR, 7 Feb: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Friday protested the alleged mistreatment of 104 Indian migrants deported by the USA.
The APCC said that the deportees were handcuffed throughout their journey, which, the party said, was a blatant violation of their dignity, and ‘tarnished’ the image of the country.
The party criticised the government’s ‘indifferent’ attitude on the issue, and demanded a response from it.
“Instead of standing up for our Indian citizens and demanding humane treatment, the government is shamefully justifying these actions. The failure to defend our citizens’ dignity and rights on the global stage is an unforgivable abdication of duty,” the APCC said in a press statement.
The party said that the crisis demands an urgent need for a robust policy to prevent illegal migrations.
“We must dismantle human trafficking networks, provide comprehensive support for deportees’ reintegration, and establish transparent migration frameworks to safeguard our citizens,” the party said.
APCC president Nabam Tuki said that the Congress party will not remain silent in the face of injustices.
“Why did the prime minister not send an aircraft to the USA to bring back the deported migrants, while he was aware of the emerging situation?” Tuki questioned.
The APCC demanded that the BJP-led NDA engage in diplomatic talks with the US authorities and express its concerns, seek clarifications and negotiate a fair resolution.
The party demanded, among other things, assistance to the affected Indian migrants, including their rehabilitation and resettlement, collaboration with Indian institutions and US authorities
to verify admission documents, ensuring authenticity and preventing fraudulent activities, protectingIndian nationals’ rights in the USA, and reviewing the visa policies.
The protest, which was held at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan here, was also participated in by the party’s frontal wings, including the Youth Congress, the Mahila Congress, the NSUI, the Seva Dal, the City Congress and leaders from several districts and blocks.
