BENGALURU: Thirty-one people from the Hakki-Pikki tribal community, who have been stranded in Sudan since clashes between army and paramilitary forces broke out in that country, on Tuesday sought help from the Karnataka government to return home.
The Karnataka State Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) under the Revenue Department is working in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs to rescue and bring back the Hakki-Pikki community members and other Kannadigas stranded in Sudan.
The KSNDMC office got a call from one of the stranded tribal community members on Tuesday seeking help to return home. “As soon as we got the rescue call from El Fashir, we informed the MEA, which has now taken up the matter,” KSNDMC Director Manoj Rajan told TNIE .
He said though the caller stated that 31 members of the community are looking for help to return home, there could be many more from Karnataka stranded in war-torn Sudan. They have been told to follow instructions from the Indian Embassy and stay safe.
Meanwhile, reacting to ex-CM Siddaramaiah’s tweet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, tweeted: “Simply appalled at your tweet! There are lives at stake; don’t do politics. Since the fighting started on April 14th, the Embassy of India in Khartoum has been continuously in touch with most Indian Nationals and PIOs in Sudan. (sic).”
Siddaramaiah appeals to PM to rescue stranded tribals
A senior revenue official said that the ministry is checking details of the caller and his location in Sudan. “We have asked people to inform us if any of their relatives or people they know are stranded in the war-torn regions of Sudan,” he added.
At the moment it can only be assumed that the tribals could have gone to Sudan for work. “Officials would soon visit Hakki-Pikki colonies in the state to collect details about those stranded in Sudan and other countries,” sources said.
As soon as the news spread, former chief minister Siddaramaiah tweeted: “I urge PMO, HMO and MEA and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to immediately intervene and ensure their safe return.”
He appealed to the Union Government to immediately reach out to the stranded tribals through diplomatic channels and other international agencies.
Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, tweeted: “31 Kannadigas of Hakki-Pikki tribe have been stranded in Sudan. The anti-Kannadiga Modi Govt has left them to their fate, instead of evacuating & ensuring their safe return. Where are Mr Pralhad Joshi & Shobha Karandlaje & BJP MPs? SHAME ON U MR. BOMMAI! (sic).”