Ministry of External Affairs under the previous NDA Government, it may be recalled, did a splendid job which no Government so far could do in similar conditions like it was done in evacuating stranded Indians from Yemen in 2015 when conflict was at its worst – affecting land, air and sea routes and a blend of the bold initiative of the then External Affairs Minister Late Sushma Swaraj and PM Modi’s better diplomatic relations and deep personal friendship with the Saudi Arabian King, a cease fire was arranged for two hours daily for a fortnight, which otherwise was impossible, which was utilised best in rescuing and airlifting stranded hundreds of Indian citizens numbering more than 7000 back home. Not only Indians, even citizens of other countries including three from Pakistan were very safely evacuated from the horrifying conflict zones . Russia , America and other countries had failed in their efforts and India came to their rescue setting new records of humanitarian gestures in true spirit of what India stands for and has traditionally been believing in.
With this splendid tradition of helping people in distress, something has got to be done in respect of nearly 350 students belonging to Kashmir who are stranded, desperate and worried in Iran needing evacuation as early as possible. Most of these students are studying medicine in Iran. These young citizens of the country are stranded due to causes other than being trapped in some conflict zone but due to the dreaded infection of coronavirus having affected parts of Iran too after devastating many areas of China where it was first detected. They are in Tehran where this virus has so far claimed 36 or more people due to which Airlines cancelled operations from the capital city. The hopes of these students to spend annual holidays back home in Kashmir are appearing not only to be dashed but whether they would remain safe from the killer virus is a natural worry. Outbreak of virus in parts of Iran including Tehran has made things turn complicated forcing cancellation rather indefinitely suspension of flights to that country. Since after China, if any other country is worst affected by the virus, it is Iran.
We learn that the Union Ministry is seized of the matter and preparations are afoot to find ways how to evacuate them fast. Not only that, they have been assured by the concerned Ministry about taking an early call on their safe evacuation which must be a reason for the concerned students to be assured and to their parents a lot of mental and emotional relief. Since this virus, as on date, continues to haunt scientists and medical fraternity throughout the globe about finding an antidote or a vaccine against it, every precaution needs to be taken. Since Indians have proved time and again about their mettle, grit and courage, which they amply demonstrated in respect of being among the first ones to airlift its stranded citizens from Wuhan, China, students from Kashmir too should , therefore, be airlifted from Tehran and on reaching the destination back home, arrangements must be made to quarantine them and keep them under observation to find them safe to prevent any apprehensions and fears of its spread.
It is a matter of great relief that several of those students from Kashmir who returned home during last few weeks from Iran had none of any symptoms of the virus. However, a student is being quarantined as a precautionary measure. On the other hand, those 120 people mostly students arrived in the UT from China among whom 34 had been evacuated from Wuhan but they were quarantined followed by conducting tests on them to find all testing negative. While we wish the stranded Kashmiri students are evacuated at the earliest, we also expect that every precaution is needed to prevent any spread of this deadly virus.
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