Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said 15 Indian nationals being deported from Australia are expected to reach India by tonight, including 11 people from Punjab.
Addressing the issue, Mann said the deportations were linked to documentation issues and other technical reasons. Among those returning, 10 are men and one is a woman from Punjab, while the remaining deportees belong to Haryana and Uttarakhand.
The Chief Minister said the Punjab government will receive the deportees at Delhi airport and provide all necessary assistance, including support with paperwork and other formalities.
Stressing a humanitarian approach, Mann said those returning should be treated with dignity irrespective of the circumstances in which they went abroad.
“They are our own children,” he said, adding that even if some had left due to distress or through agents, the government would stand by them on their return.
Mann also used the occasion to urge young people to look for opportunities within India rather than risking uncertainty overseas. He said strengthening employment opportunities at home was key to preventing such situations.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that similar cases can be avoided in the future and reiterated the government’s commitment to creating more jobs for youth in Punjab.
