CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to file a detailed report on flights scheduled to bring back stranded Tamils. A division bench of justices MM Sundresh and R Hemalatha was hearing a plea by DMK leader TKS Elangovan seeking a direction to the government to schedule more flights.
Senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for the DMK, contended that 25,939 Tamils were still stranded abroad, but the Centre had scheduled only 44 flights under the Vande Bharat Mission for the next 15 days. “The Indian Community Welfare Funds available with various Indian embassies are also not being used for helping those who are struggling to buy tickets,” he said.
Responding to the claims, Additional Solicitor General R Sankaranarayanan submitted that the Centre has drawn out a detailed plan for bringing back all Indians, and a total of 218 flights will be operated under the Vande Bharat Mission in the next 15 days. The division bench recorded the submissions and asked the Central government to file a detailed report on the Vande Bharat Mission and also on the utilisation of Indian Community Welfare Funds. The plea was adjourned to July 20.