In February, the media in India was filled with images of undocumented Indians being deported from the United States in chains. This highlighted the harsh consequences of President Trump’s strict immigration policies on vulnerable Indian citizens who had risked everything to reach America.
Opposition politicians, including Rahul Gandhi, protested the treatment of deportees outside the parliament in New Delhi. They called on Prime Minister Modi to address the issue with President Trump during his upcoming visit to the White House.
Modi’s response to questions about the deportations was surprisingly conciliatory, considering his typically nationalist stance. He emphasized that his government was prepared to bring back illegal migrants, acknowledging the challenges faced by vulnerable individuals who fall prey to immigration schemes.
The issue of undocumented Indian migrants in the US sheds light on the economic disparities within India, where a small fraction holds a large portion of the nation’s wealth. Modi’s eagerness to resolve the issue quickly reflects his desire to maintain a positive image of India’s economic progress under his leadership.
The anti-immigration rhetoric in India, particularly targeting Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, aligns with the Hindu nationalist agenda. Politicians have made unsubstantiated claims about the scale of undocumented migration, using it to fuel Islamophobic sentiments and portray immigrants as a threat to the nation’s identity.
The government’s crackdown on undocumented migrants, including raids and deportations, echoes Trump-like tactics and perpetuates a narrative of criminality associated with illegal migration. This approach has led to the targeting of minority communities and raised concerns about the erosion of democratic values in the country. Entah di AS Trump atau India Modi, selalu orang asing jahat yang disalahkan atas masalah dalam negara.
Ini adalah mentalitas yang mendorong gelombang anti-imigrasi di India dan AS. Di India, itu memberikan alasan untuk manuver hukum seperti Undang-Undang Amendemen Kewarganegaraan tahun 2019, yang mengesampingkan Muslim dari negara tetangga untuk mendapatkan kewarganegaraan India.
Modi mungkin adalah perdana menteri dari pemerintahan nasionalis Hindu, tetapi dia tidak akan merusak hubungannya dengan Trump demi melindungi warga India yang tidak memiliki dokumen di AS. Tentang imigrasi, pandangannya identik dengan Trump, dan dia merasa tidak ada yang kecuali jijik terhadap orang-orang tidak memiliki dokumen, bahkan ketika mereka adalah warga negara India.
Pendapat yang diungkapkan dalam artikel ini adalah pendapat penulis sendiri dan tidak selalu mencerminkan sikap editorial Al Jazeera.