The illegal immigration method known as the ‘Dunki route,’ which individuals use to seek better opportunities in the US or Europe, has emerged as a significant issue in the Haryana Legislative Assembly elections, set for October 5.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, has been raising the ‘Dunki’ issue in his campaign speeches, attributing the rising trend to unemployment in the state. He argues that this lack of job opportunities is driving young people to embark on dangerous, illegal journeys to foreign countries.
Experts attribute the state’s unemployment crisis to the ongoing agrarian challenges. Farmlands have become smaller due to family expansion, while rising farming costs have made it difficult to sustain a decent livelihood. Despite the dangers of the ‘Dunki’ route, the lure of a better life abroad, especially in the West, remains strong for youth from states like Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat.
Immigration agents continually devise new methods to smuggle young aspirants into the US and European nations, often through treacherous routes involving rivers and jungles. Reports suggest that many immigrants travel over 1,500 miles through Mexico under scorching heat in pursuit of US asylum. By the end of 2023, the number of migrants crossing into the US had reached record levels.
Rahul Gandhi has been leveraging this issue in his campaign, sharing personal stories of migrants to illustrate the grim reality of unemployment. He has accused the ruling BJP of failing to create jobs and claims this failure has forced Haryana’s youth to seek illegal immigration routes. At election rallies, he has repeatedly emphasized how unemployment has devastated families in Haryana, often citing his interactions with migrants he met during his recent visit to the US.
Before intensifying his election campaign, Gandhi visited Ghogripur village in Karnal district, where he met the family of Amit Kumar, a man he encountered in the US. Gandhi had promised Amit he would visit his family, and after the meeting, Amit’s mother, Birmati, revealed to the media that Gandhi had listened to their story and offered his support. She also mentioned that Amit had recently been in an accident in the US and was struggling.
Critics of Gandhi’s campaign argue that his narrative draws inspiration from the Bollywood film *Dunki*, directed by Rajkumar Hirani and starring Shah Rukh Khan. The movie portrays the dangerous journeys of illegal immigrants from Punjab seeking better lives abroad. At a recent rally in Karnal’s Asandh, Gandhi remarked, “I was in Texas a few days ago and met youth from Haryana living in difficult conditions. You should watch the video—15,000 to 20,000 people from Haryana are in America, and many arrived through the ‘Donkey Route.'”
In response, the BJP accused Gandhi of making exaggerated, unverified claims, which they argue could bring unnecessary attention and even harm to the people of Haryana. The BJP’s social media account on X suggested that such remarks could lead to detentions or other consequences.
Immigration consultants in Chandigarh maintain that the legal route to reach countries like the US and Canada is through study permits, which allow students to start their professional careers. Many Indian students can work while studying, particularly in Canada and the UK, where they typically find jobs in the food, retail, and hospitality sectors.
According to the Canadian government, foreign students contribute over $15.3 billion annually to the economy. After completing their education, thousands of Indian graduates apply for Canadian residency, creating a pathway for a well-educated, young workforce to live and work there, despite current diplomatic tensions between India and Canada affecting visa processes.
Driven by this growing demand, numerous immigration and consultancy firms have set up offices in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh. Although these firms are regulated, untrustworthy operators still exist. Furthermore, English language coaching centers, even in rural areas, are preparing students for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), a crucial step toward studying abroad.
The trend of settling overseas has become widespread, particularly because most families in Punjab and Haryana have at least one relative living in Europe or the West. This creates a cultural aspiration for the younger generation to seek jobs that pay in dollars or pounds, making migration a status symbol in many communities.
As a result, the journey to settle abroad often begins when individuals are still in school, and immigration continues to gain momentum in these regions.
