New Delhi: The Government of India has evacuated 22,500 students from war-torn Ukraine, under Operation Ganga, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday. The Centre also said that it is looking into the educational concerns of the evacuated students.
The Attorney General of India KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, informed a bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana that students have been given representation to the government on the issue of continuation of their studies. Venugopal also said that the government is looking into it, and will make a decision, news agency ANI reported.
The Attorney General told the Supreme Court that a “mammoth task has been completed”. He added that along with Indian nationals, nationals from other countries have been evacuated by the Central government.
The Supreme Court closed two petitions on the issue, which were pending before it.
The bench said that both these writ petitions were filed seeking reliefs. The bench added that the Attorney General has made submissions, and that all students are brought back to India and nothing survives.
The bench further said the Petitioner Counsel submitted that the government has to consider studies of students who have not completed their studies due to the war. It added that the Attorney General submitted that the government is considering this issue. “The case is accordingly closed,” the bench stated.
The Supreme Court had earlier expressed concern for the lives of students caught in the middle of the conflict zone in Ukraine. The efforts of the government, as part of Operation Ganga, have resulted in the swift evacuation of Indians from Ukraine, the Centre had said.
The Supreme Court had suggested to the government to open helplines so that the students or their families can communicate.
The Attorney General told the apex court that the government of India is equally concerned as the Supreme Court is and is leaving no stone unturned to bring the citizens back.
Earlier this month, Fathima Ahana Muhammed Ashraf, an MBBS student at National Medical University in Odessa, Ukraine, had filed a writ petition. It claimed that over 250 students stranded in Ukraine were looking for hope towards the Indian government.
According to reports, the plea sought direction from the government “to secure permission to cross the checkpoint in Moldova from Ukraine en route to Romania for boarding the Air India evacuation flight, and to immediately take effective diplomatic steps and measures for the evacuation of the Petitioner including other stranded students from Ukraine.”
Advocate Vishal Tiwari had filed another petition. He was seeking directions for the protection of thousands of students and families who are stranded in Ukraine in the wake of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the Indian government launched Operation Ganga to bring back stranded Indian nationals, including students, from the war-torn country. The mission also provides humanitarian assistance to Indian nationals who have crossed over to the neighbouring countries of Ukraine, which include Romania, Hungary, Poland, Moldova, and Slovakia.
Operation Ganga is planned by the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Indian Armed Forces. The first step under Operation Ganga was taken on February 26.