Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told the Standing Committee on External Affairs on Monday that Indian citizens who for some reason do not have a passport are being issued an emergency certificate for evacuation from Ukraine.
The Standing Committee headed by BJP MP PP Chaudhary met to discuss the demand for grants on the budget granted to External Affairs and discussed for 90-minutes the Russia-Ukraine situation.
The MPs raised the issue that there are instances where Indian citizens, especially the students leaving in panic, may not be carrying passports.
Mr. Shringla told the committee that in such cases, the MEA officials who are present at the border checkposts are providing them with emergency certificates.
The MPs expressed concern about the situation of hundreds of students stranded especially in the eastern sector of Ukraine.
The members, according to the sources, also said there was delay in issuing advisory and also initiating the evacuation process.
India issued the first advisory on February 15.
Defending the government, Mr. Shringla said the students were initially reluctant to leave because of the classes. So far around 1,200 students had returned in five flights and several thousand others had crossed the border or were in the process of doing so, he informed the committee.
The situation at the Ukraine-Polish border is precarious, Mr. Shringla told the Committee since nearly four lakh persons are waiting there to cross over.
The members also questioned India’s carefully calibrated stand on the conflict. RSP NK Premchandran asked the official to explain whether India stands with the victim or with the long–standing friend.
Mr. Shringla, according to sources, in a carefully worded reply said India is maintaining contact with both sides and is working for cessation of hostilities.
