Take steps for evacuating Indian students from Iran: Congress to Govt
The party's statement came a day after India distanced itself from a statement issued by Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) condemning the military strikes carried out by Israel.
Congress communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the Congress 'unequivocally condemns Israel's recent bombings and targeted assassinations on Iranian soil'. 'This attack on Iran's sovereignty and encroachment of its rights, whether through aerial strikes or covert killings, only deepens instability and sows the seeds of further conflict,' said Ramesh.
'With lakhs of Indian citizens living and working across West Asia, peace in the region is a vital national interest apart from being a geopolitical concern. India must speak clearly, act responsibly and use every diplomatic channel available to defuse tensions and promote a return to dialogue,' said Ramesh.
Congress media and publicity department chairman Pawan Khera said Indian students in Iran 'are calling for help'. 'But the government remains largely unresponsive, even as missiles rain from the sky.'
'With flights suspended, airspace over Tehran closed, and Internet access disrupted, more than 1,500 Indian students are left in a state of precarity and uncertainty — with no information about evacuation or safe zones,' said Khera.
'The Indian Embassy has issued a generic advisory urging the students to remain vigilant, avoid all unnecessary movements and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities,' said Khera, adding that the MEA 'must move beyond passive advisories and immediately establish a coordinated evacuation mechanism'.
He said this is not 'the first time Indian citizens have been left pleading for help during foreign crises'. 'Whether it was Sudan, Ukraine or now Iran, Modi's government has turned evacuations into propaganda opportunities — stepping in late, speaking too much, and doing too little, too slowly,' said Khera.
Ramesh said the Congress 'firmly believes that diplomacy, dialogue and international cooperation and not violence are the legitimate and sustainable path forward'.
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