Ukraine crisis: Opposition stands `united` with govt, Rahul Gandhi says `priority is to evacuate students`

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who attended the meeting, said that the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine began `late`, however, it should be the Centre`s priority now, sources said.

New Delhi: The Opposition leaders backed the government after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday (March 3) briefed the consultative committee of Parliament on the Russian invasion and the evacuation of stranded students from war-hit Ukraine. 

As per ANI sources, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who attended the meeting, said that the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine began 'late', however, it should be the Centre's priority now. 

"Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of China and Pakistan getting closer to Russia but he said that the priority is to evacuate students from Ukraine right now. Congress leader said that we were late in reaction and advisories were confusing," sources told ANI.

On Rahul Gandhi's charge, EAM said that "students had doubts about their academic position and Ukrainian government was giving assurance on the situation." The meeting was held at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. 

While senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor hailed the government and said "we are all united". Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "Excellent meeting of the Consultative Committee on External Affairs this morning on #Ukraine. My thanks to @DrSJaishankar & his colleagues for a comprehensive briefing & candid responses to our questions &concerns. This is the spirit in which foreign policy should be run."

"... Frank discussions took place in an amicable atmosphere, a reminder that when it comes to national interests we are all Indians first and foremost," he added. 

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also said that the evacuation of the Indian citizens in Ukraine must be the priority. "This (evacuation of Indians) should be our priority. PM rightly spoke to the Russian President, talks are going on with Ukrainian Foreign Ministry too. Contacts were established with rest of the bordering nations too," Chaturvedi said. 

The Shiv Sena leader called racism faced by some stranded Indian students "unfortunate". "But the matter of concern is the behaviour being meted out to our students. There is an issue of transportation, they are facing racial comments and being denied entry on trains. That is unfortunate," Chaturvedi was quoted as saying by ANI. 

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force (IAF) informed today that the first four IAF C-17 aircraft have evacuated 798 Indian nationals under Operation Ganga using airfields in Romania, Hungary and Poland. They also supplied 9.7 tons of relief material, the IAF said, adding that three more C-17 planes have taken off for Romania, Hungary and Poland today. 

(With agency inputs)