As the row over the deportation of undocumented Indian immigrants and the inhumane treatment they had to face on the deportation flight from the US continues, the Indian government is considering enacting a new law to ensure the safety of citizens moving to other countries for work.
The new law, tentatively titled 'Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2024', will replace the "outdated provisions" of the Emigration Act 1983, the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs stated in its fourth report, which was presented to the Lok Sabha on Monday.
"Keeping in view the contemporary global migration dynamics and the needs of Indian citizens, the Committee has over the years underscored the pressing need for a comprehensive legislative overhaul to replace the outdated provisions of the Emigration Act 1983. After much delay, the Ministry is seriously considering enacting a new law, tentatively titled 'Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2024,'" the report by the Committee, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, stated.
A former UN Under-Secretary-General and MoS MEA in the Manmohan Singh government, Tharoor on Thursday termed the manner in which Indians staying illegally in the US were deported "an insult to India and the dignity of Indians."
"You send people in a civilian aircraft, you send them normally, we will accept them if they are our citizens, but you can't do this," Tharoor said.
Also read:?Punjab man who took 'dunki route' for six months deported to India, 11 days after entering US
Citing the example of Colombia, which refused to accept immigrants of Colombian origin under similar circumstances, Tharoor said the Modi government needs to issue a message.
"It is a humiliation that we don't have to witness here in India. The government should take action so that this is not repeated and demand an explanation for this atrocious behaviour," Tharoor said.
A total of 104 Indians were deported by the US on Tuesday for entering the country illegally.
According to the latest available data as of 2022, there were 725,000 undocumented Indian immigrants in the US¡ªthe third-largest group after Mexico and El Salvador.
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