The US deported 104 Indians in shackles, sparking outrage. While Colombia defended its citizens, Modi’s government remained silent, failing to protect Indians from inhumane treatment.
A humanitarian tragedy in the name of deportation
In a horrifying display of inhumanity, 104 Indian migrants were deported from the United States on a military aircraft with their hands and legs shackled throughout the 40-hour-long journey back to India.
The manner in which these individuals were treated, forced to remain in restraints even while eating has sparked widespread outrage, not just in India but across the global human rights community. The visuals of these migrants, including women, being led in chains onto a U.S. military aircraft highlight the sheer disregard for basic human dignity.
These deportations were carried out as part of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive crackdown on undocumented immigrants. The U.S. Border Patrol Chief even shared a video on social media boasting about the successful deportation of illegal aliens, a move that further inflamed tensions in India.
USBP and partners successfully returned illegal aliens to India, marking the farthest deportation flight yet using military transport. This mission underscores our commitment to enforcing immigration laws and ensuring swift removals.
If you cross illegally, you will be removed. pic.twitter.com/WW4OWYzWOf
— Chief Michael W. Banks (@USBPChief) February 5, 2025
While deportations are a sovereign right of any nation, their execution must comply with humanitarian standards. The blatant criminalisation of these migrants, who left India in search of a better future, reflects a dangerous trend of treating economic migrants as hardened criminals.
India’s legal recourse under international law and human rights violations
The forced deportation of Indian migrants under inhumane conditions raises serious concerns under international human rights law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), particularly Article 5, explicitly prohibits “torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.” The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by both India and the U.S., similarly prohibits such treatment under Article 7. The shackling of Indian deportees throughout their journey amounts to cruel and degrading treatment, which is in direct violation of these international norms (UDHR, ICCPR).
Additionally, the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), though not ratified by the U.S., establishes that no individual should be subjected to inhumane or degrading treatment, including during deportation. The treatment of Indian deportees also violates the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which prohibits arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, and inhumane deportation procedures.
Legal experts have pointed out that India has the right to lodge a complaint with the United Nations Human Rights Committee over the manner in which its citizens were deported. International law allows a country to challenge the mistreatment of its nationals abroad, and given the clear violation of human rights in this case, India could formally seek redress through the UN system. However, the Modi government has taken no such action, further underscoring its failure to defend Indian citizens against inhumane treatment by foreign nations.
Colombia’s bold stand vs. India’s silence
If there was ever a moment that underscored the Modi government’s diplomatic weakness, it is this. Colombia, a much smaller country in terms of geopolitical influence, demonstrated how a nation should stand up for its citizens.
When the United States attempted to deport Colombian nationals under similar conditions, the South American nation took a firm stand: it refused to accept U.S. military flights carrying deportees.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro strongly condemned the treatment of his citizens and ensured their dignified return by dispatching a presidential plane to pick them up. In doing so, Colombia made it clear that it would not allow its nationals to be treated as criminals.
Contrast this with India, where Modi’s government has not even raised a strong diplomatic objection. While the Colombian government exerted its sovereignty and protected its people, India remained passive, allowing the United States to transport its nationals in degrading conditions (Economic Times).
Opposition’s criticism of Modi’s failure
As soon as the images of the shackled deportees surfaced, opposition parties in India staged dramatic protests. Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, appeared in Parliament wearing handcuffs to symbolize the shame and humiliation India suffered due to Modi’s inaction. Shashi Tharoor, a vocal critic of the government, stated that while India must accept its nationals back, it should never tolerate such degrading treatment by a foreign nation. Other opposition leaders, including Asaduddin Owaisi and Akhilesh Yadav, slammed the government for its failure to ensure dignified deportation.
“For 40 hours, we were handcuffed, our feet tied with chains and we were not allowed to move an inch from our seats. It was worse than hell”: Harvinder Singh
Prime Minister, listen to this man’s pain. Indians deserve Dignity and Humanity, NOT Handcuffs. pic.twitter.com/WUOwUrCvMB
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 6, 2025
Dr. Subramanian Swamy, former law minister also condemned Modi’s handling of the situation. Swamy pointed out that Modi’s foreign policy is more focused on personal optics and friendships with Western leaders than on protecting the dignity of Indian citizens abroad. He further stated that the government’s failure to act decisively will only embolden other nations to treat Indians with similar disregard.
Dr. Swamy tweeted: “Will Trump answer? Modi has no guts to demand an answer on the way they were sent back to India—like goats. Trump could have asked our Embassy in Washington to take back illegal Indian immigrants. Modi is a coward. He cannot even stand up to Maldives and Nepal, let alone China.”
In another tweet, he said: “The US govt led by Trump has been serially insulting India. Yet Modi is craving to go to the US and crawl before Trump. I demand Modi postpone his visit to the US in protest of the insults, otherwise Parliament should censure him for going against our nation’s interest.”
A ‘Vishwaguru’ that fails its own people
The Modi government has frequently claimed that India is a rising global power, a Vishwaguru that commands respect internationally. However, this incident proves otherwise. When a leader fails to ensure the basic dignity of their own citizens, all claims of global leadership ring hollow.
While Colombia and Brazil rejected inhumane deportation flights, India has remained silent and submissive. Modi’s government did not even issue a strong diplomatic protest, let alone demand an apology or a policy change from the U.S.
If Colombia, a nation with significantly fewer resources and influence than India, can ensure respect for its citizens, why can’t Modi? The answer is clear: under this government, nationalism is only a political slogan, not a principle applied in real-world diplomacy.
As deported Indians return home in chains, the question that haunts every citizen is this: Is this the global leadership Modi promised?
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