Urgently carry out evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine: Rahul Gandhi to govt

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday highlighted the plight of Indian students stranded in Ukraine and appealed to the central government to carry out their evacuation urgently.

He shared a video of some Indian students from Karnataka who were stuck in a bunker in the country, which is under attack from the Russian forces.

"Visuals of Indian students in bunkers are disturbing. Many are stuck in eastern Ukraine which is under heavy attack. My thoughts are with their worried family members. Again, I appeal to Government of India to execute urgent evacuation," Gandhi said on Twitter.



One Meghna from Bangalore said there are many people who have come from different places in India to Ukraine.

"We do need help from the Indian government. We cannot see anyone taking steps, or any higher officials or Indian government, to help us. No special flights have been arranged for us,” she said in a video message from a dark bunker.

“We have been staying in this bunker. It is really hard for all of us. Please, request you to send us help as soon as possible," she said.

She also said the shops have been closed down and they have been stuck in the bunker for over 24 hours without food, water and even proper ventilation.

Another student Raksha said, "We request our Indian embassy and our Indian government please help us out. Please evacuate all Indian students."

She said there are more than 15,000 students who are stranded stuck in the country.

"Please help us out. We need help.”

The video showed some students sitting on the floor in the bunker.

The video ended with a child named Rishu, who said Meghna is his sister, appealing for help.

"My sister is stuck in Ukraine. Can you please help her. I need your help. I want her back," he said.

Gandhi and his party have been urging the government to act swiftly to evacuate all Indians stuck in Ukraine.

The Congress has also criticised the government's response to distress calls from students in that country and accused it of inaction.

With Russian troops advancing on Kyiv and other key cities, India on Saturday asked its nationals stranded in Ukraine to exercise caution at all times and not move towards any border post to exit the country without prior coordination with its officials.

The Indian embassy in Ukraine issued a fresh advisory for the Indian citizens as the overall ground situation deteriorated further with gunfire, bombings and missile attacks continuing to rock various parts of the country, including its capital Kyiv.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had on Thursday said there were around 20,000 Indians in Ukraine and nearly 4,000 of them have returned to India in the last few days.