"If Trump really listens to...": Kharge targets PM Modi over deportation of Indians from US

Mallikarjun Kharge

On the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sought answers from PM on deportation of Indians from the US. Raising the issue, the Congress president questioned PM Modi's close friendship with US President Donald Trump.

Raising concerns over the inhumane treatment of Indian migrants deported from the US, Kharge said aid PM Modi should have called his 'old friend', US President Donald Trump, and asked him not to send them back in such a manner.

"Modi did not receive an invitation initially. However, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar went to the US and made arrangements, after which Modi received an invitation and is now visiting," claimed Kharge, while speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi and wondered whether it would be a 'success' meet.

"PM Modi has gone there (US), he will talk about it... PM Modi keeps saying that he can solve anything because the US is our friend and things would be solved... People come and go but a nation is permanent... Instead of thinking in favour of the nation, PM Modi keeps saying that Trump is his friend... If Trump really listens to PM Modi, then why are they deporting our people? Instead of sending them on a regular passenger flight, why were they sent on a goods flight... This means PM Modi's friend is treating our people like slaves... We could have sent our flight to bring them back..." tweeted the Congress President moments after addressing the press in Karnataka.

Kharge added that while personal friendships are fine, it is more important for countries to maintain friendly relations. He argued that people may know each other personally but may not necessarily show concern for India's interests.

India on February 7 registered concerns with the US over the deportation of illegal immigrants in shackles and conveyed that this kind of treatment could have been avoided. The remarks of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri came amid uproar over the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the US in handcuffs during their 40-hour flight onboard a military aircraft.