Chidambaram's 'did you protest with Rubio' query to Jaishankar gets Nadda reply

A US military aircraft carrying 104 Indians landed in Amritsar last week. Some of the deportees claimed their hands and legs were cuffed throughout the journey

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday questioned the Narendra Modi government on the deportation of 104 Indians from the United States last week. Initiating the discussion on Union Budget 2025-26 in the Rajya Sabha, Chidambaram claimed the ministry of external affairs “stumbled badly in the last week”, adding it was now clear that the United States informed India about the deportation of 104 illegal Indian immigrants who landed in Amritsar.

Congress leader P Chidambaram and Union minister Jagat Prakash Nadda.

While referring to the reports of a meeting between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his US counterpart Marco Rubio days before the deportation, Chidambaram said,"I ask the government did the external affairs minister raise the matter with Mr Rubio? Did he know about the SOP? He told this house the SOP has been in place for many years since 2012."ALSO READ: 'Obligation of all countries…': S Jaishankar on Indian deportations from US

"If he knew about the SOP, did he protest the SOP to the Secretary of State of the US? Did he know about the SOP, requires them to handcuff, tie the legs with ropes (of deportees)...If he knew about it did he protest to Mr Rubio? If he did not protest, why did he not protest?" PTI quoted the former Union minister as saying.

A C-17 US military aircraft carrying 104 Indian nationals landed in Amritsar last Wednesday. It was the first batch of Indians deported by the Donald Trump administration as part of a crackdown against illegal immigrants.

Some of the deportees claimed their hands and legs were cuffed throughout the journey and they were unshackled only after landing in Amritsar.

Nadda hits back at Chidambaram

Union minister JP Nadda responded to Chidambaram, saying,"I want to make it clear because it is being portrayed that only you (opposition) are bothered about the inhuman deportation of the Illegal immigrants. Though it is a fact that this concern was not there in 2009, 2010 or 2014 and the concern is now being raised in 2025."

“National interest should not be looked at through the political lens. The process of deportation is not a new one and has been ongoing for several years carried out by immigration and customs enforcement authorities,” the minister added.

"The standard operating procedure, deportation by aircraft used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is effective from 2012 and provides for the use of restraints. So the people have come with restraints earlier as well in 2025," he added.

According to the PTI report, Chidambaram highlighted another list of 483 Indians who have been identified as illegal immigrants.

"I don't know when the deportation will take place. I ask a specific question, will the government send back an Indian aircraft to bring back the Indian illegal immigrants?" he said.