The Congress party on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to directly engage with US President Donald Trump and seek intervention following an incident where an Indian student was reportedly mistreated at Newark Liberty International Airport.
A video circulating on social media shows the young Indian man handcuffed and pinned to the floor by Port Authority Police at the US airport, sparking widespread outrage. The Indian Consulate in New York has acknowledged the incident and stated that it is in contact with local authorities regarding the matter.
“We have come across social media posts claiming that an Indian national is facing difficulties at Newark Liberty International Airport. We are in touch with local authorities in this regard,” the Consulate posted on X.
Congress leaders strongly criticised the Modi government, accusing it of failing to protect the dignity of Indian citizens abroad. Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, said that safeguarding the honour of Indians should be among the Prime Minister’s top priorities.
“For the first time in history, a US head of state has announced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in Washington DC and is taking credit for exerting pressure on India. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi has remained silent — both on this ceasefire and on the increasing incidents of mistreatment of Indians in the US,” Ramesh said on X.
He called on PM Modi to urgently appeal to President Trump to intervene and ensure the safety and dignity of Indian nationals, especially the large community of students in the US.
“This fear has gripped lakhs of Indian students. The Prime Minister must take action and speak up,” Ramesh added.
Echoing these sentiments, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera described the incident as deeply distressing. Khera referred to a post by Indian-American social entrepreneur Kunal Jain, who had filmed and shared the video of the incident online.
“I witnessed a young Indian student being deported from Newark Airport last night — handcuffed, crying, treated like a criminal. He came chasing dreams, not causing harm. As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken. This is a human tragedy,” Jain wrote on X.
Responding to Jain’s post, Khera said, “This is too painful, too humiliating, and too distressing to watch. Why should we, as a country, tolerate this humiliation?” He further questioned whether India’s diplomatic standing had eroded to the extent that such incidents were now being tolerated.
Khera drew a sharp contrast with previous instances when India had responded strongly to similar situations, notably during the 2013 Devyani Khobragade diplomatic row, and urged the government to uphold that same assertiveness today.
As the video continues to draw global attention, pressure is mounting on the Indian government to act decisively to protect the rights and dignity of Indian citizens overseas.