Bengal Congress stages demonstration over deportation of illegal immigrants in shackles

India said it has registered concerns with the US over the deportation of illegal immigrants in shackles and conveyed that this kind of treatment could have been avoided.

Kolkata: The West Bengal Congress on Friday staged a demonstration outside the US Consulate General, criticising the "inhuman manner" of deportation of illegal Indian immigrants in shackles.

Party workers, led by Paschim Banga Pradesh Congress Committee president Subhankar Sarkar, displayed placards and raised slogans condemning the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the US in handcuffs during their 40-hour flight onboard a military aircraft.

The protesting Congress workers also burnt an effigy of US President Donald Trump.

"The Indians who came back were in shackles. The country will not tolerate this insult. Donald Trump is a friend of (PM) Narendra Modi. Why is Modi silent?” Sarkar said.

"A small country like Columbia also protested this behaviour; their president told the US government that it would send two ships to bring back their nationals. Why can’t we do that?” he said.

India on Friday said it has registered concerns with the US over the deportation of illegal immigrants in shackles and conveyed that this kind of treatment could have been avoided.

"We do make our concerns known to the United States that this kind of treatment can perhaps be avoided," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in response to questions on the deportation.

"We will continue to take up any instances of mistreatment that come to our attention," he added.