Karnal, Feb. 27 -- In his first public comment in Haryana since the United States started deporting illegal migrants to India, Union power minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said that there should be no sympathy towards the deportees as they all went abroad illegally through the 'dunki' route.

The minister, an MP from Karnal, was addressing a press conference here, days ahead of the voting for civic body elections, to be held on March 2.

He spoke to reporters on a range of issues freely and when asked about his opinion on recent deportations by the US, he gave an example of his visit to a local village during the Lok Sabha elections last year.

"During my visit to villages, I usually ask people about the number of government jobs...