Focus On Propaganda And Photo Ops: Opposition Targets Centre Over Operation Ganga

So far, 1,396 students have been evacuated from Ukraine under Operation Ganga, and nearly 8,000 students are still stuck in the crisis-torn country.

Indian students reunited with their relatives upon their arrival from Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, at Indira Gandhi International airport | Getty Images

New Delhi: As the crisis in Ukraine continues, the woes of Indian students stuck in the east European country do not seem to diminish. Despite the actions being taken by the Government of India under ‘Operation Ganga’ to evacuate Indian students, there are still many students who have not been able to come back to India yet.

Meanwhile, the opposition is attacking the government for 'not taking effective steps' to evacuate Indian students safely from Ukraine.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yecury took to Twitter saying that the Indian government had enough time to respond as Russia had made it clear way before, but they did not do so.  

“Modi govt had sufficient lead time to evacuate Indians from Ukraine with Russia declaring its military intentions. Instead, the focus is on propaganda, spin & photo ops. GoI must get its act together & evacuate hapless Indians like it did during the Gulf War,” Yechury wrote along with the same video shared by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

On the other hand, Trinamool Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha also took a jibe at the Indian government saying that more than 1,70,000 Indians were evacuated from Kuwait during the Gulf war. 

“More than 1,70, 000 Indians were evacuated from Iraq and Kuwait by the Govt of India during the Gulf War of 1990 through Air India. Just for your information.”

On Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared a video apparently from an Indian-origin student in Ukraine in which she can be seen telling that the officers in the Indian embassy are not answering their calls.

Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter along with the video, “Conditions of Indians stranded in Ukraine are worsening. Yet, GOI is not taking effective steps to bring them home. As usual, PM is MIA,” calling PM Narendra Modi ‘Missing in Action’.

Conditions of Indians stranded in Ukraine are worsening.

Yet, GOI is not taking effective steps to bring them home.

As usual, PM is MIA. pic.twitter.com/n8MfPAgxvD

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 28, 2022

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to Twitter to share the video of another student stuck in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv who claimed in the video that the Indian government is not doing enough to save them as a threat to their lives increases by the hour.

“… @narendramodi ji, @DrSJaishankar ji the videos of Indian students coming from Ukraine are very disturbing to the mind. For God's sake, do whatever it takes to bring these children back to India. The whole nation is with these students and their families…..You are requested that anyhow, the government should try to get them back safely,” Priyanka Gandhi wrote.

…@narendramodi जी, @DrSJaishankar जी यूक्रेन से आ रहे भारतीय छात्र-छात्राओं के वीडियो मन को बहुत ही ज्यादा व्यथित करने वाले हैं। इन बच्चों को भारत वापस लाने के लिए जो कुछ भी बन पड़ता है , भगवान के लिए, वह करिए। पूरा देश इन छात्र-छात्राओं और इनके परिवारों के साथ है।...1/2 pic.twitter.com/PfmBw8McLY

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) February 27, 2022

The reaction of opposition leaders comes amid the reports from Ukraine and the Romanian border where Indian students are being beaten up and assaulted by forces. 

So far, 1,396 students have been evacuated from Ukraine under Operation Ganga, and nearly 8,000 students are still stuck in the crisis-torn country.