OPS appeals to Centre and TN govt for ensuring safe return of Indians from Ukraine

The AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam on Sunday urged both the Centre and the State government to take immediate steps to safely bring back the Indians and Tamil people, who got stuck in the war-ravaged Ukraine.

In a statement,  the AIADMK leader pointed out that as Russia continue to launch missile attacks on Ukraine, several thousand Indians especially Tamil people were stranded and were staying at bunks without food. 

"Due to the war, they also could not return home safely", he added.

"Though there were reports that Tamil Nadu government has taken steps for the safe return of Tamil people, the continue bomb attack has frightened the stranded ones", he claimed.

Stating that since the military curfew was imposed, strict restrictions have been announced for public transportation, the O Panneerselvam said "due this situation, the stranded people were forcibly travelling by private vehicles for more than 12 hours, which poses danger and it would be further miserable for them if something happens in the mid-way".

Read: Fourth evacuation flight carrying 198 Indians leaves for Delhi from Bucharest

Claiming that there are about 16,000 Indians and 5,000 Tamil people who were affected in Ukraine, the AIADMK coordinator appealed to the Centre for taking immediate steps for the stranded Indians to reach safely to Ukraine's neighbouring countries such as Hungary, Romania and Polland since they would feel safe at these places.

"They (stranded Indians) not only expecting to reach safely to these countries, but they also expecting food", he said adding, therefore, the Centre should immediately seek the permission of Russia to transport the Indians safely from Ukraine to reach Hungary, Romania and Polland and from there they need to be brought to our country".