'Understand the gravity of the situation': Sharad Pawar tells Centre after student from Karnataka killed in Ukraine's Kharkiv

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday condoled the death of an Indian student in shelling in Ukraine's Kharkiv and called upon the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government "to understand the gravity of the situation" and "speed up the rescue efforts to evacuate the stranded students at the earliest".

Taking to Twitter, the former Union Minister wrote, "My Deepest condolences to the family of our Indian student Naveen Shekharappa who lost his life in a shelling attack in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Thousands of our students are still stranded in harsh weather conditions & without any food in Ukraine."

"I request the Central Government and External Affairs Minister Shri S. Jaishankar ji to understand the gravity of the situation, the desperate plight and anxiety of these students and their families. Government of India must speed up the rescue efforts to evacuate the stranded students at the earliest," he added.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condoled the death and called upon the Union government to draw up a strategy for the safe evacuation of all stranded Indians.

"Received the tragic news of Indian student Naveen losing his life in Ukraine. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends," Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter.

"I reiterate, GOI (Government of India) needs a strategic plan for safe evacuation. Every minute is precious," he added.

The student, Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, was a native of Chalageri in Karnataka's Haveri district.

The Congress party also expressed condolences to Gyanagoudar's family and friends. It also urged the government to expedite the evacuation of Indians stranded in war-torn Ukraine.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the demise of an Indian student in Ukraine. Our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. We once again urge GoI (Government of India) to ensure the speedy and safe evacuation of our people," it stated in a tweet.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too condoled the death of the student and asked the government to bring back the Indians stranded in Ukraine as soon as possible.

"The news of the death of Indian student Naveen trapped in Ukraine is very sad. My deepest condolences to their families. May God give them courage in this time of sorrow. I request the government to make every effort to bring back all our students as soon as possible," she tweeted.

Expressing sadness over the death, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged the BJP government at the Centre "has no evacuation plan" and that it has "abandoned" the youth.

"Our deepest condolences to the family of the student from Karnataka who has died. This is the tragedy where the BJP Government has no evacuation plan. The Modi Government has abandoned our young, Pralhad Joshi decries and insults our students in Ukraine. Only photo-op, no action," he said.

He attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for campaigning in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and asked whose responsibility is it to bring all Indians stuck in Ukraine back safely.

(With PTI inputs)

Published on: Tuesday, March 01, 2022, 08:55 PM IST