As per an estimate, there are still around 8,000 Indian students stuck in war-hit Ukraine and all diplomatic efforts are being made to bring them back safely, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi has said.
Speaking to presspersons at Chalageri village in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district after consoling the family members of Naveen Gyanagoudar who died during shelling in Ukraine, Mr. Joshi said that Foreign Affairs Minister Jaishankar is in touch with his counterparts in Russia and Ukraine and efforts are being made for a temporary ceasefire so that the stranded students could be evacuated.
Mr. Joshi said that while India would want a permanent ceasefire, efforts are now being made for a temporary ceasefire at least for a few hours so that stranded students could be evacuated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deputed four of his Ministers solely for the purpose of getting stranded students back to India safely and no one will rest till all students are brought back. However, as there is continuous shelling, evacuation of students and retrieval of the body of the student have been delayed, he said.
Terming the death of Naveen Gyanagoudar as a shocking development not only for the family but also for the country, he said that diplomatic efforts are on to get the mortal remains of the student airlifted to India.
Responding to the demand of the village residents for a job for Naveen Gyanagoudar’s brother Harsha, the Minister said that as Harsha is a post-graduate and a research student, steps will be taken to get him appointment in a reputed institution after he completed his studies.
To a query regarding the future of medical students who will be forced to discontinue their education in Ukraine due to war, Mr. Joshi said that as it is a policy issue, it will be decided later but the priority now is to bring back all students safely.
During the Minister’s visit to their house, Naveen Gyanagoudar’s father Shekharappa and mother Vijayalakshmi appealed to Mr. Joshi to take steps to get the mortal remains of their son to their village so that they could give him a proper funeral. They also appealed to him to bring back all the other students safely on priority.
The parents requested the Minister to ensure that the interests of meritorious students are protected and that they are encouraged to pursue education in the country by providing them the required opportunities so that they are not forced to go to other nations.
Mr. Joshi was accompanied by MLAs Virupakshappa Ballari and Arunkumar Guttur, Superintendent of Police Hanumantharaya and others .
Earlier in the day, Deputy Commissioner of Haveri Sanjay Shettennavar along with Zilla Panchayat CEO Mohammed Roshan met the Gyanagoudar family and offered their condolences.
Mr. Shettennavar told media persons that the government is contemplating extending help to the family and priority is to bring their son’s mortal remains back soon.
