KOCHI: Refuting allegations of slow pace in evacuation of Indians caught in war-torn Ukraine, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the government has done everything humanly possible to evacuate them safely. “It is tough for the students who have been spending their days in bunkers. But there are limitations for the government in evacuating people amid a raging war. I assure you that every Indian will be evacuated safely, but we cannot set a time frame for it,” he told TNIE.
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The students have been spending days in bunkers fighting biting cold, scarcity of food and heavy bombing. How long will they have to wait for evacuation?
We cannot set a deadline for evacuation as the war is raging and it is not safe to transport the students to the border. I had interacted with a few students in Kharkiv on Sunday. They said they are living in hostels and take refuge in the bunkers when they hear the air raid siren. I agree there is only limited facility in the bunkers. In some places, the students have taken shelter in underground metro stations where the facilities are better. Regarding evacuation, we cannot set a time frame as it is unsafe to transport the students amid heavy bombing. Our prime concern is the safety of the students and they will have to wait.
The students are complaining of scarcity of food and water. What can the government do in this regard?
Some students in Kharkiv had complained about scarcity. Our foreign secretary had held talks with the ambassadors of Ukraine and Russia on Sunday on evacuation. We raised the issue of food scarcity and Ukraine has promised all support. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has held talks with the International Committee of the Red Cross and there has been results.
There have been complaints that the Indian Embassy is not responding to desperate calls.
Thousands of people have been contacting the embassy over phone and there have been limitations in responding to the calls. The embassy has issued an advisory urging people to pass information through social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and websites. Besides, the embassy has been issuing advisory on movement of students to the borders. The embassies in Ukraine, Russia and neighbouring countries are functioning 24 hours to help the Indians. We have made separate arrangements to receive the people approaching the embassy and to attend calls.
The students and their parents are in deep anguish. Can we set a time frame for evacuation?
It is a war situation and we can’t set a time frame for evacuation. The government is talking with both Russia and Ukraine and evacuation will be undertaken only after ensuring the safety of the students.
On Sunday there was a respite in shelling and the Ukraine government had decided to operate free train services from Kiev to the borders. Subsequently, the embassy issued an advisory to Indians to move to the railway stations. However, the embassy had to issue a second advisory to return to the bunkers hours later as heavy shelling resumed. These are examples of the difficulties in evacuation.
There are complaints that Indian students who reached Poland border are not allowed to cross and they are waiting for the past four days.
We had contacted Ukraine government when this complaint came to our notice. What we understood is that more than a lakh Ukrainian refugees have reached the borders and the Ukrainian army is giving preference to their citizens. The Indian embassy in Poland has arranged 10 buses which crossed the border, took the students and transported them safely to Poland. The borders are controlled by the army of the respective countries and we have limitations. On the Romania border, only a few students had reached initially. But as the numbers grew, we made arrangements to help them cross the border in batches.
Has India’s neutral stand in the UN Security Council antagonised Ukraine?
The Ukraine government is cooperating with the evacuation efforts and has responded to our pleas to provide food to the students in bunkers. So, there is no question of non-cooperation. On Sunday, we had talked to the ambassadors of both countries and they assured us of all support.
There are allegations that the government did not foresee the crisis which led to a delay in evacuation.
I will not respond to politically motivated allegations. The government started making arrangements in January itself and people who criticise don’t try to understand what is happening. The Indian government has decided to send ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiran Rijiju, Hardeep Singh Puri and General V K Singh to neighbouring countries of Ukraine. They will monitor the evacuation process.
Students parents are in distress. Will Centre try to address their grievances?
This is a war situation and there are practical difficulties in evacuation. The government is making all efforts to evacuate the students. Meanwhile, I request the media not to exaggerate things and create panic. Our primary concern is to ensure safety of the students. There is heavy shelling from both sides and we have to wait for the appropriate time for evacuation. The embassies are working round the clock to ensure safe passage.