Chidambaram corners MEA on restraints on deported Indians; Nadda hits back

New Delhi: Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday asked the government if External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the issue of handcuffing of Indians being deported from the US in his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio before deportation.

His comments drew a sharp retort from Leader of House JP Nadda who asked why such questions were not raised when similar action happened in the UPA regime.

Initiating discussion on Union Budget 2025-26, Chidambaram claimed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) "stumbled badly in the last week" and it is now clear that the US informed India about the deportation of 104 illegal Indian immigrants who landed in Amritsar.

Referring to reports of a meeting between Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio a few 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."

The senior Congress leader further said, "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?" Chidambaram also sought to know if the external affairs minister offered to send an aircraft to the US to bring the Indian citizens back.

Responding to Chidambaram, Nadda said he was surprised as to why the former finance minister did not ask the same questions in 2012 when he was a union minister.

The BJP leader noted that the external affairs minister has already given an elaborate statement regarding the matter in the House and explained in detail.

"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," Nadda said.

National interest should not be looked at through the political lens, he said, adding 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 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," Nadda stated.

Highlighting another list of 483 Indians, who have been identified as illegal immigrants," Chidambaram said,"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?" Last week, Jaishankar told the Upper House that standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft provides for the use of restraints as per the US' policy since 2012. However, the SOPs do not include restraining women and children.

He made the statement after opposition parties stepped up their criticism over the treatment meted out to 104 illegal Indian immigrants who landed in Amritsar in a US military plane - many deportees saying they were shackled.

The external affairs minister said the government was engaging with the US to ensure that deported Indians are not mistreated, underlining the focus should be on strong crackdown on the illegal migration industry and also asserted that the process of deportation is not new and has been ongoing for several years.