Desperate Indian students stuck in Ukraine are taking to social media to seek rescue.
The calls for help are coming amid the Indian government’s efforts to bring back its stranded citizens home. Notably, Indian medical students are among one of the largest groups of foreign students studying in Ukraine.
Modi government’s efforts to help Indians in Ukraine
The Narendra Modi government today (Feb.28) announced that it was sending four of its ministers to the neighbouring countries of Ukraine to expedite the evacuating Indian nationals. The four ministers are Hardeep Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju, and Gen (retd) VK Singh.
However, political leaders from Modi’s own Bhartiya Janta Party have suggested that the move was “opportunism.”
Others criticised the government over a video that allegedly showed several Indian students being subjected to violence at the Ukrainian border.
India is stepping up to bring back its citizens
Unfazed by the criticism, the government said it was going all out to help stranded Indians. It also claimed to be in touch with private aviation players to send more flights to countries adjoining the Ukrainian border.
SpiceJet today announced a special evacuation flight to Budapest for such a mission. Over the weekend, Tata Group-owned Air India has operated special flights to Romania’s Bucharest to New Delhi and Mumbai.
The country’s largest domestic carrier IndiGo has also launched two evacuation flights to bring back Indians safely. These flights are being operated between Delhi to Bucharest, Romania and Budapest, Hungary via Istanbul.