Congress condemns US ‘Mr Singh’ deportation post, questions Modi govt’s silence

The Congress on Friday condemned a controversial social media campaign by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asking “Mr Singh” to self-deport, describing it as an insult to Indians and questioning the Modi government’s failure to issue a strong public rebuttal.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the advertisement promoted a racial stereotype and targeted a surname shared by millions of Sikhs and other Indians.

The DHS had posted AI-generated imagery on X as part of its campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers. It featured a brown-bearded man alongside the message: “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr Singh.”

“Modi ji, who has been showcasing his international clout by calling Donald Trump his ‘friend’ and who even coined the slogan ‘Abki Baar Trump Sarkar’ among Indian-Americans, is now seeing continuous insults against Indians and people of Indian origin under his administration,” Ramesh said in a Hindi-language post on X.

He said the Indian government appeared to be acting as a “silent partner” despite the offensive nature of the material published by an official US government account.

“An extremely offensive poster targeting ‘Mr Singh’ was issued from the official handle of the US Department of Homeland Security, in which a turbaned Indian was threatened with lines like ‘Get off our roads’ and ‘Self-deport or find out’,” Ramesh said.

“This is not just an insult to one individual or community — it is an insult to the dignity of all Indians,” he added.

Ramesh said the campaign warranted a firm response from India against racial stereotyping and what he described as governmental rudeness. He pointed out that the DHS removed the post following widespread protests in the US but continued to defend the campaign and its language through other official posts.

“The question is: Why has there been no strong public rebuttal from the Modi government on this insult to Indians?” he asked.

The Congress leader also referred to the deportation of Indians from the US on a military aircraft with some returnees restrained by handcuffs and leg shackles. He alleged that the Modi government had failed to defend the dignity of Indian citizens at that time as well.

Ramesh further cited additional US tariffs on Indian goods, claiming that the Centre had been unable to formulate an effective response.

“Why has our diplomatic strength become so feeble during the tenure of the Modi government, which boasts of being the ‘vishwaguru’, that India’s interests and sovereignty are facing one blow after another?” he said.

Questioning the nature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s relationship with US President Donald Trump, Ramesh said personal ties could not take precedence over the country’s interests.

“Friendship is important in foreign policy, but national interest, the dignity of Indians, and India’s sovereignty are paramount, and there can be no compromise on them,” he asserted.

The DHS campaign also included Transformers-themed content featuring Megatron negotiating the release of foreign nationals identified as truck drivers who had allegedly been involved in road accidents and other offences.

“If you approach this nation with hostile intent, know this. We will defend ourselves. We will defend Americanism. We will defend our home,” the department said in one post.

Another visual depicted Optimus Prime wearing a DHS arm patch and confronting a brown-bearded man with the warning: “Self-deport or find out.”

The reference to “Mr Singh” drew criticism from advocacy organisations, including the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and the Sikh Coalition.

“Singhs are Hindu, they are Sikhs, they are American and they drive. Racist, un-American, anti-Indian profiling/trolling by @DHSgov should shock our nation’s collective conscience,” the HAF said, calling for an investigation.

The Sikh Coalition said Sikhs continued to face profiling over their appearance 25 years after the September 11 attacks. It pointed out that millions of Sikhs in the US carry the surname Singh, meaning “lion”, and said the community would remain fearless in asserting its identity.

The controversy comes amid a DHS campaign promoting its CBP Home programme, under which eligible undocumented migrants can register their intention to leave the US voluntarily. According to the department, those who opt for self-deportation may receive travel assistance and an exit bonus of $2,600.

With PTI inputs