Dunki, the upcoming film starring Shah Rukh Khan to be released around Christmas, highlights the “donkey route”, a popular but illegal immigration technique used to enter the US, UK and Canada. An immigration drama, the name of the film itself is a localised version of the word ‘donkey’, often pronounced ‘dunki’ by non-English speakers in north Indian states especially Punjab.
The “donkey route” or “donkey flight” is mostly used by residents of Punjab and Haryana while the Rajkumar Hirani directorial is about a man from Punjab and his journey of immigration into Canada. The illegal process to enter a foreign country is fraught with hardships and, in most cases, pathetic travelling conditions: miles of walking on treacherous routes — be it desert, forest or grassland — or hordes loaded onto vehicles as people go without food and water for days before reaching their destinations as depicted in a BBC documentary. Many die on the way and when they do manage to cross over, struggle to return home if caught.
What is the “donkey route” or “donkey flight” method?
According to a 2014 report titled ‘Donkey Flights: Illegal Immigration from the Punjab to the United Kingdom’, published under a project by the Migration Policy Institute, “donkey flights” — based on a Punjabi idiom meaning to ‘hop from place to place’ — describes a common ploy that would-be immigrants use to enter the country of their choice through an illegal route. For example, when it comes to the UK, an Indian immigrant would apply for a tourist visa for an EU Schengen country, which allows them to roam freely in the border-free zone, with the intention of “leapfrogging” over into the UK. Hence, a person uses the back door to enter the UK via other European countries.
Illegal immigration is a big and lucrative business in India. Despite legal pathways, many rely on cheating the system and, one of the methods used, is to exploit immigration loopholes by so-called “donkey flights”. Due to its clandestine nature, little is known about the scale or organisation of the illegal immigration business flourishing in India.
The report by the Migration Policy Institute highlights how travel agents help individuals, especially from the Punjab region, in reaching desired countries abroad. It is based on an undercover exposé of Punjabi agents by The Sunday Times, and from interviews conducted with migrants, law enforcement officers and senior officials in India and Europe.
How does it work and why do people choose this way?
According to the report, there are thousands of visa agencies operating in the Punjab region with varying degrees of legality. “Some agencies, while breaking no rules, charge disproportionate fees for visas that could be obtained directly from the relevant embassy. Some operate in legally grey areas, such as by advising migrants on how to bend the rules. More underground operations have links to criminal smuggling networks across Europe,” the report states.
These agencies have links to a network of “consultants” spanning from Delhi through Russia, continental Europe, and the UK. Agents charge fees going up to lakhs of rupees to arrange a passage to the desired country. While there are visa agencies that go by the book or operate in legally gray areas, the more criminal part of illegal immigration is underground or based out of smaller offices. These “agencies” work in the realm of fraudulent documents, bribes and human smuggling.
Low wages and high unemployment in Punjab are two of the main reasons why large sections of people from the state go abroad on an annual basis. The most popular country to migrate to is Canada, which is currently locked in a diplomatic tussle with India due to the alleged rise of pro-Khalistan sentiment in the foreign country. But, the UK has a considerable number of Indian migrants coming in, legally or illegally, making it a massive challenge for the government.
It is, therefore, important to consider why people turn to “local and informal” sources for help or back channels rather than using legal migration systems.
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