The Congress expressed alarm and distress over reports of escalation of military conflict in Ukraine and urged the Narendra Modi government to evacuate Indian citizens trapped in the war zone without indulging in partisan propaganda.
In a brief statement, the party said the loss of innocent lives, widespread destruction, mass exodus of people and the aggravated human sufferings are unacceptable.
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"We remain gravely concerned about the safety of thousands of Indian students and citizens trapped in war zones."
The party also sought to remind the BJP government that in the past too the Indian Air Force and the Navy had successfully evacuated Indians from war-torn countries.
“It is the duty of the Government of India to make all efforts to bring back our citizens and it is important to remember and recall that India had in the past undertaken successful large-scale operations by its Air Force and Navy to evacuate Indians during the Gulf war, from Lebanon, Libya and Iraq without indulging in partisan propaganda,” the party said.
So far 15,920 Indian nationals have flown back on 76 flights under the government’s evacuation mission “Operation Ganga”. However, there are nearly 700 students trapped in Sumy, on the eastern front of Ukraine close to Russia. These students are fighting a grim battle for survival with supplies depleting fast and with narrow hope of leaving their hostels amidst intense fighting.
The Congress statement came on a day Prime Minuster Narendra Modi had spoken to both Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrianian President Vladimir Zelensky urging them to help in their evacuation and other Indian nationals.
