On Ukraine, Congress talks of ‘without propoganda’ ops in appeal to centre

India undertook successful “large-scale operations” by its Air Force and Navy to evacuate citizens “during the Gulf War, Lebanon, Libya and Iraq without indulging in partisan propoganda,” the Congress said on Monday, underlining that it is the centre’s duty “to bring back all citizens” from the war-hit Ukraine. The Congress statement was seen in a reference to India’s abstentions in the last two weeks at the United Nations over resolutions linked to the Ukraine war.

Nearly 16,000 Indians have been brought back on special flights in the last one week from the neighbouring countries of Ukraine, the government said on Sunday, as the airspace in the war-hit remains closed.

Last week, India had abstained from a crucial vote at the United Nations Human Rights Council that sought a high-level probe into the violations amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Before that India had abstained from voting at the UNGA and the UNSC over the conflict while insisting on dialogues between both the sides and calling for an immediate end to the violence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been talking to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s Vladimir Putin over the safety concerns of Indians.

As appeals continue to pour on social media over the escalating conflict in Ukraine, the Congress in a statement said on Monday: “The party is alarmed and distressed over the escalation of military conflict. The loss of innocent lives, mass exodus of people and the aggravated human sufferings is unaccetpable. We remain gravely concerned about the safety of thousands of Indian students and citizens trapped in war zones.”

Congress’s Rahul Gandhi has been constantly putting out tweets to hit out at the government over the Ukraine evacuations. “Russia, Ukraine and NATO must engage in sincere negotiations for restoring peace and a lasting resolution of all issues,” his party’s latest statement read Monday.