CPI MP criticises govt for leaving Indians in Ukraine to fend for themselves

New Delhi: Communist Party of India (CPI) Parliament member Binoy Viswam has criticised the government for failing to pre-empt the situation in Ukraine and leaving thousands of Indians to fend for themselves. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Viswam called the evacuations “reactionary”.

“It is deeply unfortunate that our government has been unable to pre-empt the situation in Ukraine despite sufficient information about the pending war, leaving thousands of citizens to fend for themselves amidst intense crossfire and shelling,” wrote Viswam.

India has deployed heavy lift air force planes and mobilised special flights in partnership with commercial airlines to countries such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania, where Indians are arriving from war-torn Ukraine. It has deployed four Union ministers to these countries to coordinate the evacuations.

Viswam accused the Union ministers of stealing the limelight. He lashed out at them for blaming the students for failing to get evacuated in time and questioning their academic competence to “demonise them” for studying abroad.

Viswam said the government was unable to provide “actual help” to those stranded. He added the Indian embassy in Ukraine issued contradictory advisories.

“Despite frantic calls from these students to the MEA [ministry of external affairs] control room, they were simply provided with a second advisory which asked them to proceed on foot to these safe zones, completely ignoring the reality of the situation as crossfire and shelling continued around them.”

He said the government’s efforts cannot only be restricted to operating flights from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries. Viswam called it essential that every single possible action is taken to help Indians stranded in the war-torn country. He added numerous Indians were still stranded in Ukrainian cities such as Sumy and Kharkiv. Viswam said their evacuation must be the priority.