ID :
165853
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 14:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/165853
The shortlink copeid
Concern in Parliament over plight of Indians in Libya
New Delhi, Mar 4 (PTI) Members, including those from
ruling ruling Congress party, Friday voiced concern in the
Indian Parliament over the plight of Indians in troubled Libya
and the slow evacuation process, prompting the government to
promise that it would make all efforts to bring back all the
Indians safely.
Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation
Vayalar Ravi said the government had pressed into service six
aircraft besides ships to bring back the Indians and
facilitate free onward journey of the evacuees to their final
destinations in this country.
More flights would be operated if necessary, he said.
"The government shares the concern. Since last week and
more, we have made all arrangements to bring back the
Indians," Ravi said in the Lok Sabha (Lower house) after
members raised the issue of the countrymen facing problems,
including threat to life. In the Rajya Sabha also, members
voiced similar concerns.
The Minister said the government had pressed into service
three Air India planes and "summoned" even aircraft of private
airlines for evacuation purposes.
AI, which has special permission to land in Tripoli, is
operating flights directly to and fro the Libyan capital where
8,000-10,000 Indians are based, Ravi said.
Private airlines do not have permission to land in Tripoli
and are operating out of Alexandria, he said.
"We are doing our best. We will bring all Indians back. We
will not leave behind anybody there. We can assure (the
House)," he said.
When some members said the evacuees are pennyless after
reaching India, Ravi said they are being given free air
tickets for onward journey to their homes, if the distance is
more than 500 kms.
At this point, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said the
railways will ferry the evacuees free of cost from airports to
their final destination.
Earlier, Sis Ram Ola, Congress member from western state
Rajasthan, raised the issue, saying he was getting frantic
calls about life threats being faced by people from his
constituency Jhunjhunu and other Indians in Libya.
He said the government should anyhow bring back all
Indians and the bodies of those who have died in Libya.
He wanted a response from the government and was
immediately joined by a number of other members.
Sudip Bandhopadhyay of ally Trinamool Congress party of
the ruling United Progressive Alliance said innocent people
were being killed in Libya and the government should do
something.
Sanjay Nirupam (Cong) said it was a national crisis.
Banerjee also seemed to be supporting these members.
Harin Pathak of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party
congratulated the government for making the arrangements but
said the evacuees have no money to travel onwards to their
homes after landing in India.
Members in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) also expressed
anguish over slow progress in the evacuation and safety of
Indians in Libya.
The grave concern expressed by members prompted Deputy
Chairman K Rahman Khan to direct the government to apprise the
House Friday itself of the latest steps being taken to bring
the Indians back from Libya.
Tiruchi Siva (Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam party) was very
forceful to get the response from the government.
He was agitated when the Chair reminded him that he could
only associate with P Rajeev (Communist Party of
India-Marxist) who raised the issue during Zero Hour.
"Our people are stranded. You (Chair) are bothered about
time. You are not permitting to express our views," he said.
He was supported by several senior members from BJP, Biju
Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, All India Anna Dravida Munnettra
Kazhagam, Nationalist Congress Party and Left parties.
Siva said that in the backdrop of the ultimatum, the
Chinese and the Philippines have already evacuated their
nationals. "Why is the progress slow on the Indian side," he
asked.
Rajeev said India has sent only one or two ships and
planes for the evacuation and that there was no proper
monitoring of the situation.
He said besides Tripoli, people have also been stranded in
other cities and it was difficult for them to reach the Libyan
capital by road.
Sensing the mood, the Chair directed that the government
come out with a statement before the Houses rose for the day
because of the urgency of the situation.
Khan said, "The whole country is concerned about our
people who are suffering. There is a concern over slowness (in
bringing them back).
ruling ruling Congress party, Friday voiced concern in the
Indian Parliament over the plight of Indians in troubled Libya
and the slow evacuation process, prompting the government to
promise that it would make all efforts to bring back all the
Indians safely.
Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation
Vayalar Ravi said the government had pressed into service six
aircraft besides ships to bring back the Indians and
facilitate free onward journey of the evacuees to their final
destinations in this country.
More flights would be operated if necessary, he said.
"The government shares the concern. Since last week and
more, we have made all arrangements to bring back the
Indians," Ravi said in the Lok Sabha (Lower house) after
members raised the issue of the countrymen facing problems,
including threat to life. In the Rajya Sabha also, members
voiced similar concerns.
The Minister said the government had pressed into service
three Air India planes and "summoned" even aircraft of private
airlines for evacuation purposes.
AI, which has special permission to land in Tripoli, is
operating flights directly to and fro the Libyan capital where
8,000-10,000 Indians are based, Ravi said.
Private airlines do not have permission to land in Tripoli
and are operating out of Alexandria, he said.
"We are doing our best. We will bring all Indians back. We
will not leave behind anybody there. We can assure (the
House)," he said.
When some members said the evacuees are pennyless after
reaching India, Ravi said they are being given free air
tickets for onward journey to their homes, if the distance is
more than 500 kms.
At this point, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said the
railways will ferry the evacuees free of cost from airports to
their final destination.
Earlier, Sis Ram Ola, Congress member from western state
Rajasthan, raised the issue, saying he was getting frantic
calls about life threats being faced by people from his
constituency Jhunjhunu and other Indians in Libya.
He said the government should anyhow bring back all
Indians and the bodies of those who have died in Libya.
He wanted a response from the government and was
immediately joined by a number of other members.
Sudip Bandhopadhyay of ally Trinamool Congress party of
the ruling United Progressive Alliance said innocent people
were being killed in Libya and the government should do
something.
Sanjay Nirupam (Cong) said it was a national crisis.
Banerjee also seemed to be supporting these members.
Harin Pathak of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party
congratulated the government for making the arrangements but
said the evacuees have no money to travel onwards to their
homes after landing in India.
Members in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) also expressed
anguish over slow progress in the evacuation and safety of
Indians in Libya.
The grave concern expressed by members prompted Deputy
Chairman K Rahman Khan to direct the government to apprise the
House Friday itself of the latest steps being taken to bring
the Indians back from Libya.
Tiruchi Siva (Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam party) was very
forceful to get the response from the government.
He was agitated when the Chair reminded him that he could
only associate with P Rajeev (Communist Party of
India-Marxist) who raised the issue during Zero Hour.
"Our people are stranded. You (Chair) are bothered about
time. You are not permitting to express our views," he said.
He was supported by several senior members from BJP, Biju
Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, All India Anna Dravida Munnettra
Kazhagam, Nationalist Congress Party and Left parties.
Siva said that in the backdrop of the ultimatum, the
Chinese and the Philippines have already evacuated their
nationals. "Why is the progress slow on the Indian side," he
asked.
Rajeev said India has sent only one or two ships and
planes for the evacuation and that there was no proper
monitoring of the situation.
He said besides Tripoli, people have also been stranded in
other cities and it was difficult for them to reach the Libyan
capital by road.
Sensing the mood, the Chair directed that the government
come out with a statement before the Houses rose for the day
because of the urgency of the situation.
Khan said, "The whole country is concerned about our
people who are suffering. There is a concern over slowness (in
bringing them back).
