New Delhi, February 15: Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state general secretary Anil Sarin hit back at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's claims on the US flight deporting 104 undocumented Indians in Amritsar.
CM Mann had alleged that Amritsar was "deliberately chosen" to portray that Punjabis are the only illegal immigrants.
Refuting his accusations, Sarin said, "The people who have been deported and are coming to India, there is no doubt that most of them are from Punjab. In the first plane of about 100 passengers, 33 were from Punjab and in the plane of 119 coming today, 66 are from Punjab."
Amid the controversy, ministers also weighed in on the issue. BP's Uma Bharti, taking to X on February 15, condemned the manner in which the illegal Indian nationals were deported. "Illegal Indian immigrants were sent back from America in handcuffs and shackles is extremely shameful and a blot on humanity," she wrote.
"This cruel and violent attitude has been displayed many times by the American governments towards the Red Indians and the people of African origin living in America," she added.
Have a look at her tweet here:
Earlier, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema also alleged that the NDA-led Centre is trying to defame Amritsar by landing deportation flights in 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 per an India Today report.
As per reports, two more flights deporting illegal Indian nationals are expected to arrive in Amritsar this week.
