'Act against agents, help get our money back', plead families

Claiming that they had invested all their savings and borrowed a huge amount to send their sons abroad, the families of deported youngsters are demanding action against agents, and their money back.

Khushpreet Singh (18), a resident of Ismailabad in Kurukshetra, was among those deported on Wednesday. He said his dreams of earning big money to support the family had been shattered.

Khushpreet, who had studied till class 8, said, “I left India in August and reached America on January 22. I had suffered hardships on the 'donkey route'. I remained hungry, drank dirty water and also suffered torture. The 'donkers' (people who guide during 'donkey routes') behave badly and leave people behind in the jungle if they fail to match their speed. They also torture if the agents fail to provide them payments in time. They give you nothing. You have to manage with your own resources. No one should take these routes.”

“Initially, when we were kept in the camp, they told us that we will be sent back to India, but we thought they were joking. But when they handcuffed us, we realised that we were going to be deported. After enduring the hardships, all that we are left with is a huge debt,” he said.

Khushpreet’s father Jaswant Singh, who owns three acres, said, “We had no plans to send him abroad, but the agent lured us. He claimed that it was a good opportunity and my son will get settled there. He also offered to arrange for funds on interest, besides other arrangements there, as I only had Rs 10 lakh. I was convinced, borrowed money from relatives and mortgaged my house, agricultural fields and cattle. The agent took Rs 45 lakh.”

Puran Singh, a relative of Khushpreet, said PM Narendra Modi should have sent an Indian aircraft to bring them back.

In Ambala, a retired police official, Sushil Kumar, whose son Jitesh was among those deported, said, “My son was lured by an agent, who told us that he would be sent on a plane, and then taxi, and he would not have to walk a single mile. But it took my son six months to enter America through jungles. He crossed the border on January 19, and was caught soon after.”

Kumar said they had lost nearly Rs 45 lakh, including the money he had received after his retirement. “The government should take action against the agent and help us recover the money. We will try to find a job for him here,” he added.

Trump has done nothing wrong: Vij

“Every country has the right to deport people who are living there illegally. Trump has done nothing wrong. We should also take lessons and deport lakhs of people living in India illegally. Why should we feed people of other countries living here illegally? They should be sent back to their countries.” — Anil Vij, Cabinet minister