The arrival of flights carrying deported Indian nationals from the United States in Amritsar has set off a fresh political storm in Punjab. With two more flights scheduled to land on February 15 and 16, opposition leaders are accusing the central government of intentionally choosing Amritsar as the landing point, further escalating tensions over the issue.
The first flight, carrying 104 deportees, touched down in Amritsar on February 5. Now, with two additional flights expected this weekend, opposition parties are slamming the Union government for allegedly singling out Punjab as the primary destination for deported Indians instead of other states.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, visibly upset over the Centre’s decision, arrived in Amritsar on Friday and is set to hold a press conference to address the issue. Mann may personally receive the Punjabi youths among the deportees arriving from the US on Saturday night. During his address, he is expected to question the government’s motives behind this move.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has been vocal in his criticism, alleging a political agenda behind the decision. “The government of India wants to defame Punjab by ensuring that aircraft coming from the USA land in Amritsar. Why don’t these planes land in Haryana or Gujarat? It is clear that the BJP is targeting Punjab. These flights should land in Ahmedabad instead,” Cheema said.
Congress MLA Pargat Singh echoed similar concerns, calling the repeated landings in Punjab “unfortunate.” “Yes, there are people from Punjab among the deportees, but why aren’t flights landing in other states? PM Modi is in the US, and he must take up with the US administration why our youth are being handcuffed and chained while being deported,” Singh said a day before.
Senior journalist and political analyst Kanwar Sandhu questioned the logic behind the decision, arguing that flights should ideally land in Delhi. “First, it must be seen whether the second batch of deportees is treated the same way as the first. Ideally, the plane must land in Delhi as the flight trajectory shows that it came through the south and had deportees from multiple states, not just Punjab. It should land in Amritsar only if the majority of deportees are from Punjab,” Sandhu explained.
However, BJP Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar dismissed the criticism, calling it an unnecessary controversy. “The opponents are making a mountain out of a molehill. These are all Indian deportees. The issue is not about the plane landing in Amritsar. This is a humanitarian issue. Instead of politicising it, we need self-introspection to understand why people are risking illegal routes. Political parties must work together to resolve this issue. I am sure the Prime Minister has discussed the deportees’ treatment with US President Donald Trump,” Jakhar said.
Amid the growing political heat, the Punjab government recently ordered the formation of a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a “comprehensive and effective investigation” into human trafficking and illegal migration.
During his visit to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the issue of illegal immigration and human trafficking. “Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly citizens of India—if they live in the US illegally, India is ready to take them back,” PM Modi said.
However, he also emphasised the need to dismantle human trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable families and bring them to the US under false pretences.
