The timing of the landing of US aircraft C-17 Globemaster III carrying deported Indians has been rescheduled. As per the information received, the US aircraft which was supposed to land at Amritsar Airport at 10: 15 pm (IST) will now be landing at Sri Guru Ram Das Ji Airport at 11; 30 pm. Notably, two flights will be landing at Amritsar Airport- on February 15 at 11: 30 pm (new timing) and another one is on February 16 i.e. on Sunday.
In the latest batch of deportees, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Before this, US military aircraft landed at Amritsar Airport on February 5 carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants. Out of 104 deportees, 33 each were from Haryana and Gujarat, 30 were residents of Punjab and the rest were from other states.
CM Mann who visited the Sri Guru Ram Dass International Airport’ to foresee the arrangements for receiving the deportees announced food and accommodations of deportees who will land in Amritsar today and tomorrow. "They are our people who are coming. We have made arrangements for their food and accommodation here," announced CM Mann.
Punjab CM announces food and accommodations for deportees
The Chief Minister slammed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government for failing to secure the interests of the countrymen adding that this government has undermined the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country. He said that it is unfortunate that under the present regime the country is bereft of an effective foreign policy due to which the inhuman treatment is being given to deportees. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that on one hand the Prime Minister was hugging the US President during his recent tour and at the same time the chained Indians were being shamefully deported back to their native land.
BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh in a post wrote, 'Amritsar is the closest international airport for flights entering India from the USA. That’s why the US plane carrying illegal immigrants is landing there.'
During the press conference on Saturday, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann responded to it and said, "Amritsar is near that why the US planes are landing? Then if we ask them to start direct flights to America, then also it is near right? Then start flights to America from here. It will save us 10 hours that it takes to travel to Delhi just to board a flight for the US. Why don't they start flights for the US and Canada from her (Amritsar)? Is this even logic? Hasn't Trump filled the petrol of 35 minutes more? Delhi is only 35 minutes away from here by air."