Opposition leaders on Friday said they hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of the manner in which Indians who had illegally migrated to the United States were sent back in a military aircraft with shackles and handcuffs.
Trump hosted Modi for talks at the White House early on Friday during which they discussed bilateral, regional and global issues.
On Modi's US visit and his meeting with President Donald Trump, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the joint press conference suggested they had a good meeting.
"I hope, behind closed doors, he (Modi) said to the Americans, 'You can't insult our people. You can send them back, they are illegal, we will look after them, they belong in our country but don't send them back in shackles and handcuffs on a military aircraft... That is not right'..." Tharoor told PTI Videos on the sidelines of the Invest Karnataka summit.
"I hope he (Modi) has said it behind closed doors. We don't know," the Thiruvananthapuram MP added.
Tharoor said the joint press conference addressed by the two leaders suggested that the talks were good.
"...On other matters, including Ukraine peace and so on, the press conference suggested that the two of them had a very good meeting," he said.
"To hear a man like Donald Trump, whose defence secretary yesterday (Thursday) called him the greatest negotiator in the world, announcing that the Indian prime minister was a better negotiator than he was, that sounds like something Mr Modi can put in the bank, that sounds very good," Tharoor added.
Issues relating to trade and tariffs figured extensively in the meeting between Trump and Modi that took place hours after the US president announced a new reciprocal tariff policy for all its trading partners.
Asked about the issue, Tharoor said a way had to be found as exports were important for the economy to grow.
"India, particularly under the BJP government, does have rather high and somewhat protectionist tariffs in some areas. Their argument is, 'We have to protect Indian industry'... The Amerians say, 'We want to sell goods to you'... So you have to make it more feasible," he added.
Tharoor suggested that "some mid-point" would have to be found on the matter.
Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja said Modi may have friendship with Trump, but national interest of the country should be the priority.
"We do not know exactly what PM Modi said to President Trump. Only the PM can tell the nation,and tell what exactly the American president has agreed to," he said.
Raja said the US President is making statements on a range of issues including tariffs, and deportation of Indians who were there without legal documents.
"But there is a way to deal with the issue, the way they send people handcuffed, it is a horrific situation... Whether the PM discussed these issues and expressed condemnation we do not know," he said.
"Whether he had any discussion regarding global south, several other issues, we do not know. India has been pursuing independent international policy, we have stated stand on a number of issues, we should not succumb to the pressure from US administration... They can have friendship we have no problem, interest of country should not be let down, India should take up issues related to our country," Raja added.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Priyanka Chaturvedi welcome the announcement of extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana from the US, but added that she hoped Modi also raised the deportation issue with the US President.
"After years the US is sending him (Rana), we have to welcome it. Indian governments have fought this fight," she said.
"It is also important to bring back David Headley. The mastermind, and the Pakistan sponsored terror network needs to be dismantled and those who hatched this conspiracy in Pakistan and attacked India, the biggest attack on India, they should be made into an example so that no one ever attempts something similar. This is a big achievement, they should be given the strictest punishment," she said.
Chaturvedi added that it is also important for government of India to introspect why citizens had to migrate to the US.
"Indians are being forced to sell their lands to migrate, so that they can build a new life for themselves and their families. They were deported in a military aircraft, this is against human rights. I was hoping PM will raise this issue with his friend Donald Trump," she said.
She said the government needed to understand its failures. "Third highest immigrants in US are from India. There should be introspection why they were forced to migrate."
A US military aircraft brought back 104 Indians living illegally in the US earlier this month -- the first such batch of Indians deported by the Trump administration as part of a crackdown against illegal immigrants.
The deportees had claimed their hands and legs were cuffed throughout the journey and that they were unshackled only after landing in Amritsar.
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