New Delhi: Amid massive efforts to save lives in quake-ravaged Nepal in adverse conditions, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav on Monday raised in Rajya Sabha the issue of nephews of his party colleague Naresh Agrawal being stranded there, alleging that Indian Embassy was not helpful.
Responding to this, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the members should not "increase pressure" on Indian Embassy personnel in Kathmandu as they are already working in "adverse circumstances".
During an impromptu discussion on the tragedy that struck Nepal, Yadav referred to two nephews of Agrawal and how Indian Embassy handled calls regarding their evacuation.
"What the government is doing (in Nepal) is very correct but more needs to be done. While the government is sensitive, the Embassy is insensitive," he said.
He said two nephews of Agarwal were stranded there and External Affairs Minister was spoken to. "Sushma Swaraj was spoken to yesterday and we got phone calls made twice. But it was of no effect on the Embassy," he said.
He demanded that the embassy should be sensitized.
Hours later, Swaraj said Agrawal's relatives had been evacuated.
"The situation over there (in Nepal) needs to be understood. There is a long queue over there. 10,000-20,000 people are stranded. ...In adverse circumstances, our Embassy officials are working. Let us not increase their pressure."
She said rescue efforts had been hampered by fresh tremors and rainfall but "We operated flights throughout night and we evacuated many people, including relatives of Naresh Agrawal."
To Agrawal's demand for a statement on India's rescue operation in Nepal, she said the rescue operation is still going on. "I will come out with statement later on."
