February 6, 2025
Saket Gokhale’s clarifications from External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on whether or not the government can ensure a dignified and humane repatriation of Indians from USA and whether the government can improve the economy so that Indians won’t have to migrate
Sir, I very carefully listened to the hon. Minister’s statement. What baffled me is that the hon. Minister is more focussed on defending the US deportation policies than the interest of our own citizens. One thing which stood out in the statement of the hon. Minister is that from the year 2016, the number of deportations of the Indians has doubled. We know which Government was in power in 2016. That Government continues to be still in power. According to a survey by Pew Research Centre, in 2011, there were 4,25,000 undocumented Indian migrants in the US. In 2021, that number has gone up by 70 per cent to 7,25,000. The US is just one part of it. Hon. Prime Minister Modi personally requested the Russian President, Mr. Putin, but there are still Indians who are being forced to serve in the Russian Army. They are dying on the borders of Ukraine. They have still not been repatriated to India despite PM Modi’s request. Sir, I have some very pointed questions. I am going to keep it short. Sir, at first, as we talk and we hear in this House, almost every hon. Minister, every hon. Member, when they speak from the Treasury Benches, say that we are the world’s fifth largest economy and we are soon going to be third largest. We are a Vishwaguru. Sir, as a Vishwaguru, I am asking through you: Are citizens being shackled in chains, their legs being shackled together, being handcuffed? When countries like Colombia, which do not even figure in the top ten, can send an aircraft and bring their citizens back with dignity, what stops our Government from sending one aircraft? We do not have a shortage of it! What stopped the Government? No; Sir. I have just one. You said, three minutes. That is all I am requesting. Why have we not been able to ensure a dignified and humane repatriation of our citizens? That is number one. And, number two, Sir, the hon. Minister made a very important point about undocumented migrants facing a lot of risk. The migrants have gone to the U.S., have gone through the Darien Gap, through the northern border. Many of them are frozen and died on the northern border as well. So, the question is: What process does the Ministry have? It is because clearly there is economic distress. They are running away from the country in search of better opportunities. What processes do we have? Indians are trapped in Cambodia and made to work in call centres. How is the Ministry –beyond protector of emigrants, it does not do much–ensuring that so many Indian citizens do not have to risk their lives to run away from a failing economy and go to other countries illegally? Thank you, Sir.
