Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) staged a protest on Monday, condemning the humiliation faced by Indians deported from the United States of America (USA) and criticising the Narendra Modi government for failing to intervene. The Congress alleged that the Central government had failed to protect the dignity and rights of its citizens on the global stage.
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The protest was led by GPCC president Amit Patkar, MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira, and Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee working president Mahesh Nadar.
Adv Alvares Ferreira questioned why so many Indians were leaving the country despite PM Modi’s promises of economic growth. “If Modi came in as the saviour of our country and promised a trillion-dollar economy, why did so many people leave India? We don’t condone illegalities, but we demand that the government stand up for our Indian brothers and sisters. The Indian government owes this duty to its citizens,” he said. He further added, “The President of Colombia stood up for their people. This will be remembered as the saddest chapter in the lives of those deported in such a humiliating manner.”
Patkar called on the Minister for External Affairs to intervene in accordance with India’s foreign policy to assist the Indians now stranded in the USA. “Bhakts claimed that India’s global standing has elevated. Where is that standing now?” he asked.
Nadar criticised the government’s handling of the situation, questioning why the media was barred when the deportees’ flight landed in Chandigarh. “Why was the press not allowed when the flight arrived? They knew our countrymen were handcuffed and brought back like animals. Our Prime Minister diverted media attention by taking a dip in the Ganga,” he said.
