PM Modi ensuring safe evacuation of all citizens from Afghanistan: MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt

Union Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Ajay Bhatt on Tuesday, August 23, informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is monitoring the evacuation of all Indian citizens from Kabul to ensure their safe return amid Taliban's swift takeover over Afghanistan. The Minister further said that the evacuation process will continue till all citizens are safely brought back from the war-torn country.

"Not only this, but we also helped the citizens of our neighboring countries to return to their country when the COVID-19 pandemic had struck, irrespective of caste, religion, class, area etc," Bhatt told ANI.

Citing the situation in Afghanistan, he expressed hope that people, who were opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), will now be able to understand the importance of the legislation. "Those who were protesting against the CAA must now be able to understand how important the law is, looking at the situation in Afghanistan. In countries that have not yet implemented such a law, people are losing their lives. We heartily congratulate the Prime Minister and thank him for enacting the law."

MoS Ajay Bhatt on Union Minister Narayan Rane' arrest and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi

Responding to the arrest of Union Minister Narayan Rane in Maharashtra for his alleged derogatory remark against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Bhatt said, "This is the culmination of the politics of vendetta. Nothing can be more extreme than this. The government is not able to change its attitude of rivalry which is sad."

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rane, while interacting in Mahad as a part of the 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' on Monday, had claimed that the Maharashtra CM forgot the year of Independence during a public event on 15 August. He went on to add that he would have "slapped" Thackeray had he been present on the occasion. He even attributed the COVID-19 deaths in Maharashtra to the purported incompetence of the Shiv Sena chief. 

Bhatt further took jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, stating that he has left no stone unturned in crossing his limits and bringing down the dignity of opposition. Accusing the opposition of making false and misleading statements to ruin the image of the government, Bhatt stated that nobody takes him seriously and his statements are a "laughing stock".

He added, "It is said the more you heat gold, the brighter it becomes. Similarly, the image of the government is getting stronger among the masses."

India ensures safe evacuation from Afghanistan amid COVID fears

In view of the current COVID-19 situation in India, around  78 people including children who arrived in the national capital from Afghanistan in an Indian Air Force (IAF) flight on Tuesday, 24 August, were taken to ITBP's Chhawla Camp. They are undergoing a 14-day mandatory institutional quarantine. The decision to quarantine people arriving from Afghanistan was taken after two persons who landed in Delhi from Kabul on 24 August tested positive for COVID-19. Following this, the Health Ministry in a statement announced mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine for evacuees returning from Afghanistan. 

The Government sources told ANI that India has been allowed to operate two flights per day to evacuate its nationals from Kabul. After the Taliban took control over Afghanistan, the operations of the Hamid Karzai International Airport are being controlled by American and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces, which further provided the approval to operate two flights per day. 

(With ANI input)

(Image credit: AP/PTI)