THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the Keralite priest kidnapped over a year ago from Yemen, was released from captivity, the Union Government on Wednesday said it had a role in securing the priest’s release, but denied reports of any ransom being paid.“The MEA works quietly, does its work without making too much noise and ultimately ensures the work gets done,” Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a state outreach conference organised by the Ministry of External Affairs. Singh replied in the negative when asked whether any ransom was paid to the captors.
Asked about the role played by Oman for the release of the priest, he said when direct methods do not yield results, indirect methods have to be adopted. “The aim is to get the problem solved and in achieving that aim, anybody who assists us is welcome. In such situations, we need to take anyone’s help,” he said.
To a query on reports about the seizure of assets of India’s most wanted gangster Dawood Ibrahim by the UK government, Singh admitted “things are happening”. “But we can’t let the cat out of the bag now,” he said without giving further details.
He also declined to comment on the Kulbushan Jadhav case, the hearing of which was slated to be held at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Jadhav was sentenced to death by a court in Pakistan earlier this year on charges of being an Indian spy. Asked about how India was planning to handle the Rohingya Muslim refugee issue, Singh said the Union Government would stick to its refugee policy. “We have taken in people as part of our policy and we will go as per the policy we have made in dealing with them,” he said.
V K SiNgh giving lame excuses: Kadakampally
T’Puram: Refusing to accept Union Minister of state for External Affairs General V K Singh’s claim that permission was denied to attend the United Nations World Tourism Organisation meet in China due to protocol issues, Tourism and Cooperation Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the Union Minister was giving lame excuses. Referring to VK Singh’s claim, he said UNWTO was an organization promoting tourism across the globe. The minister said it was Taleb Rifai and designated UNWTO General Secretary Zurab Pololikashvili who invited him to the meet. He said if there were any protocol issue involved, the Centre could have informed in advance.
A day after Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the Keralite priest kidnapped over a year ago from Yemen, was released from captivity, the Union Government on Wednesday said it had a role