NEW DELHI: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday said the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is a very sensitive issue and all political parties should speak with one voice on it.
During a discussion in Lok Sabha on the situation in Ukraine, the minister said, "We might be from different political organisations but for us, the country and its citizens should come first. This is a very sensitive issue and there should be one voice."
And with this ideology, thought and determination, the BJP government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working towards the progress of the country, he said.
The government is responsible towards 135 crore citizens of the country and 1.5 crore NRIs residing in 110 countries across the world, Scindia said.
The government had sent Scindia and his ministerial colleagues Hardeep Singh Puri, Kiren Rijiju and General (retired) V K Singh to the neighbouring countries of Ukraine to facilitate the evacuation of Indians from the war-hit country.
"I was given the responsibility of Romania and Moldova. And we were told by the prime minister that you would come back only when the last flight with our citizens would leave that country. There was a management system and sensitivity from the leader of the government," he said.
Stating that many countries had shut down their missions in Ukraine, he said India had its mission functioning until the last Indian citizen was brought back.
The prime minister, he said, had asked all the departments to work together.
"This has been the largest evacuation exercise during war by any country in the world in recent history. This has been possible due the leadership of our prime minister and his resolve and commitment," he said.
"I want to ask has any other country undertaken such an exercise in Ukraine and the answer is no. It is quite sad that a few people see politics in challenges and in this sensitive and challenging environment, we should come together. We should think about our country first," he said, adding, "Our party's thought is nation first."
Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJD said the government did a great job and added, "Let us not compare personalities."
He said the government should accommodate in Indian colleges the medical students who had to flee Ukraine due to the war.