Amritsar (Punjab) [India] – Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has criticized Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his comments on the deportation of Indian citizens who allegedly migrated illegally to the US, urging that political motives should not be attached to every issue.
“It is not good to do politics on every issue. If the migrants are from UP or Gujarat and are landing in Punjab, what is wrong with it? They will be welcomed in Punjab and be sent to their respective states,” Bittu said while speaking to media.
Further, Bittu accused the Punjab CM of being part of the ‘tukde tukde’ gang, a term often used to describe those allegedly attempting to divide the nation.
“He (Bhagwant Mann) is a part of the ‘tukde tukde’ gang who always thinks of dividing the nation. His agents are working in Punjab, and illegal shops are running here… isn’t that something to be ashamed of?” he added.
Families Struggle as Deportees Return
A family member of one of the deported Indian immigrants revealed the financial hardships they endured to send him to the US.
“He had reached the US eight months ago… his family had sold their land for him to go there… they spent around Rs 50 to 55 lakhs. He went with the help of the agents… whatever done was wrong… we got to know that he was coming back from the news that was flashing,” the family member said.
Second Batch of Deportees Arrives in Amritsar
An aircraft carrying the second batch of Indian nationals deported from the US landed at Amritsar airport in the early hours of Sunday.
On Saturday, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann assured that the deportees would be treated properly, with necessary arrangements already in place.
“Our kids are the ones who are coming here anyway, so from here no one can go hungry, we will make arrangements. We have also made staying arrangements for them. They will stay here for a few hours and then go to their respective states as the flights have been booked by the Ministry of External Affairs already,” Mann said at a press conference in Amritsar.
This marks the second such flight of deportees arriving in Amritsar. Earlier, on February 5, a US Air Force plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly migrated illegally to the US also landed in Punjab.