Wearing handcuffs, Cong MLAs hold protest: ‘No action taken by Centre, state over ill-treatment of deportees’

Gujarat Leader of Congress Legislative Party Amit Chavda stated that the party will raise the issue during the budget session as well.

“We will raise the issue of atrocities and humiliation committed against Gujaratis by the (Donald) Trump government in the Assembly and demand the government’s answer,” Chavda stated.

A number of deportees, who arrived in three US military aircraft that landed in Amritsar, belonged to different parts of Gujarat.

“This important issue is related to the respect of the nation and its youth. Against the claims of becoming the vishwa guru of the double-engine BJP government, youth are not getting jobs and they don’t see their future secured. After spending Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore, they illegally went abroad to fulfill their dreams,” Chavda stated.

Nine of the total 12 MLAs of the Congress wore handcuffs fashioned out of chains and donned banners announcing “videsh ma Gujaratiyon par atyachar ni bharmar kem chhup che double engine sarkar? (Why is the double-engine government silent about the rampant atrocities against Gujaratis abroad?)”.

Chavda further said, “America treated them as terrorists or worse. They were handcuffed and chained and sent back in the Army plane where there is no facility of food or sanitation.”

He said, “On the other hand, the President of Colombia made arrangements to bring back the people of his country with dignity. But Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi, who calls himself a good friend of Trump, wasted the taxpayers money by organising events like ‘Howdy Modi’ and ‘Namaste Trump’. When the Prime Minister went to America, he hugged Trump again but did not utter a single word about the insult to

Indians.”

The Congress legislators further pointed out that relatives of many Indians who are still abroad are concerned.

“Even Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is not ready to speak a word. The Prime Minister of the country, who is a Gujarati, is also not ready to utter a single word despite going to America. This shows their weakness. This is a failure on the part of the government. People of Gujarat and the country are seeking a response from them as this (the treatment) amounts to humiliation of 140 crore Indians,” Congress MLA from Jamalpur Khadia, Imran Khedawala, told The Indian Express.

A BJP spokesperson could not be reached for comment on the protest and remarks made by the Congress legislators.