In a rare show of unity, the Opposition lauded the government’s transparency in answering all their queries regarding India’s evacuation process of its nationals escaping war in Ukraine as well as India’s stance in the crucial UN votes.
India’s external affairs minister S. Jaishankar briefed the consultative committee on foreign affairs (parliamentary committee) as India’s launched an evacuation plan to safely bring back its citizens from Ukraine.
“Excellent meeting of the Consultative Committee on External Affairs this morning on Ukraine. My thanks to Dr S Jaishankar & his colleagues for a comprehensive briefing & candid responses to our questions & concerns. This is the spirit in which foreign policy should be run… We are all united,” Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted after the meeting.
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EAM Jaishankar also acknowledged the unity of the government and opposition members on the issue.
“A good discussion on the strategic and humanitarian aspects of the issue. Strong and unanimous message of support for efforts to bring back all Indians from Ukraine,” EAM Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.
EAM Jaishankar heads the 21-member committee who were also briefed by Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar.
After the death of one Indian student in Kharkiv on Tuesday, India’s opposition had criticized the government for not being transparent in the evacuation process.
“To avert further tragedy, the Government must share how many students have been evacuated, how many are still stranded in Ukraine and a region wise detailed evacuation plan,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said.
Till now India has abstained in crucial UN voting, three in the UN Security Council and one in the UN General Assembly.
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India’s abstention has raised many eyebrows in the internationally. India along with China and the UAE were major abstainers.
Regarding stuck Indian nationals in Kharkiv, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday claimed that the Ukrainian forces have taken several thousand foreign students, including Indians and Chinese, as hostages.
This is the second time the Russian government has claimed vis-à-vis the Indian nationals stuck in Kharkiv. The Russian defence ministry on Wednesday made these claims in a press briefing in Moscow.
