New Delhi: Two more special flights from the United States carrying illegal Indian immigrants will land in Punjab’s Amritsar over the weekend, reports citing a written communication sent by the Ministry of External Affairs to the Bureau of Civil Aviation claimed. This comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that India was “fully prepared” to take back “verified” citizens living in America illegally while addressing a joint briefing with US President Donald Trump.
According to reports, the first flight carrying 119 Indian deportees will land on February 15 at Amritsar at 10.05 pm. The second will touch down on the night of February 16, reported the India Today. Earlier, a flight carrying 67 passengers from Punjab, 33 from Haryana and 19 from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra had landed in Amritsar.
However, the number of deportees likely to arrive is not immediately clear.
600 Indians on removal list: Report
The US had informed India that 487 “presumed Indian citizens” were served with final removal orders, reported the Hindustan Times. Another 203 illegal migrants were rounded up in sweeps by American authorities, mostly along the border with Mexico, last month, the report claimed.
The first batch of 104 deportees who arrived at Amritsar aboard a C-17 military aircraft was part of America’s efforts to send back the 203 detained individuals. The remaining 99 of the group are also likely to be deported. India had reportedly verified the identities of 96 individuals.
‘Why planes landing in Amritsar?’
Punjab finance minister Harpal Cheema alleged that the decision to land deportation flights in Amritsar is the Centre’s attempt to defame the state. “Why not Haryana or Gujarat? This is clearly an attempt by the BJP to tarnish Punjab’s image. This aircraft should land in Ahmedabad instead,” he said as quoted by India Today.
