Did US deport Sikhs without turbans, women in shackles? India raises concern, America clarifies

The Government of India has formally raised concerns with the United States regarding the treatment of Indian nationals deported from the US, particularly in relation to religious sensitivities and food preferences, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, March 27.

In its statement, the Central government informed that it strongly objected to the reports that Sikh deportees were asked to remove their turbans while women and children were put in shackled while being deported to India.

MoS MEA Kirti Vardhan Singh told Rajya Sabha that the US authorities have responded, stating that no deportee was asked to remove religious head coverings and the only accommodation during their flights was vegetarian meals.

It ministry said, “The Ministry has strongly registered its concerns with the U.S. authorities on the treatment meted out to deportees on the flight that landed on February 5th, particularly with respect to use of shackles, especially on women. The US side has confirmed that no women or children were restrained on the deportation flights that landed in India on February 15th and 16th respectively.”

“In response, the US authorities have conveyed that deportees on the three chartered flights that arrived on 5th, 15th& 16th February 2025 respectively were not instructed to remove any religious head coverings and that the deportees did not request any religious accommodation during the flights, aside from requesting for vegetarian meals,” Kirti Vardhan Singh said.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has also clarified that some detainees had already arrived at the US border “without turbans.”

“The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also conveyed that some of the detainees arrived at the U.S. border without turbans,” the statement read.