The Ukrainian government is reportedly preventing Indian citizens from leaving the Ukraine in a bid to force the Indian government to support its side in the Ukraine–Russia conflict, according to Scroll.in.
Several videos of students and others claiming to be stuck in Ukraine and used as “hostage population/bargaining chips” have been posted to Twitter, with some claiming to have been “kicked” and “dragged” by Ukrainian officials.
The alleged actions taken by Ukrainian officials appear to be a response to India’s abstention from a US-sponsored United Nations Security Council resolution deploring Russian “aggression.”
The Indian ambassador to the United Nations explained on Twitter that India abstained because “dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes.”
Russia vetoed the resolution on Friday, NBC reported.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has demanded that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government share its evacuation plan for the Indian citizens who remain in the Ukraine, according to the Times of India.
“My heart goes out to the Indian students suffering such violence and their family watching these videos,” Gandhi said on Twitter. “GOI must urgently share the detailed evacuation plan.”
“We can’t abandon our own people,” he continued.
My heart goes out to the Indian students suffering such violence and their family watching these videos. No parent should go through this.
GOI must urgently share the detailed evacuation plan with those stranded as well as their families.
We can’t abandon our own people. pic.twitter.com/MVzOPWIm8D
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 28, 2022
Reuters reported on Friday that “fears of being caught up in the fighting, long traffic jams and severe weather” had prevented students from “making their own arrangements” to return to India via either Poland, Romania, or Slovakia.
In response, the Indian government, which believes up to 18,000 Indian citizens remain in the Ukraine, plans to send several senior ministers to the Ukrainian border in order to assist, Reuters reported.
