Naqvi terms PM Modi ‘Sankat Mochan’ for Operation Devi Shakti, hits out at anti-CAA lobby

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "Sankat Mochan" on Wednesday. He said that the Prime Minister has always come forward to save humanity. The Union Minister was referencing India's evacuation operation to return its nationals home from war-torn Afghanistan, where the Taliban has taken control.

PM Modi called 'Sankat Mochan' by Naqvi for Operation Devi Shakti

Naqvi discussed Operation Devi Shakti with ANI and said, "Our country is very lucky that it has a 'Sankat Mochan' leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In times of crisis, he has always stepped up to save humanity. When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the operation of bringing back citizens stuck in different parts of the world was carried out swiftly under the leadership of PM Modi."

The evacuation mission from Afghanistan was named Operation Devi Shakti by India on Tuesday. An Air India flight carrying 78 passengers, including 25 Indian citizens, arrived in New Delhi late Tuesday night as part of Operation Devi Shakti. Not only Indian citizens but "all those who wish to travel to India" are being securely flown into the country, said Naqvi.

"And all those who were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAA), today should feel shameful," said the Union Minister.

Operation Devi Shakti announced by External Affairs Minister

According to government sources, India has been granted permission to fly two aircraft per day from Kabul to remove its people stuck in Afghanistan. The authorization was provided by American and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) soldiers, who had been in charge of the Hamid Karzai International Airport since the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital on August 15. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted an update of the operation on Twitter on Tuesday saying, "Op Devi Shakti continues. 78 evacuees from Kabul arrive via Dushanbe. Salute @IAF_MCC, @AirIndiain and #TeamMEA for their untiring efforts. #DeviShakti". These evacuees included a number of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus from Dushanbe. The evacuation was done a day after these people were evacuated from Kabul to the Tajik city. 

Operation Devi Shakti is being carried out by the Indian Air Force. Dozens of Indian Nationals and Afghan refugees have been rescued under this program. Earlier today, 24 Indians and 11 Nepalese were brought from Kabul to Delhi under this operation. India began airlift rescue operations from Afghanistan on August 16, a day after the Taliban took over the government in Afghanistan. On August 16, India had airlifted 40 Indians from Kabul and they were brought back to Delhi. The External Affairs Minister also posted on Wednesday that he spoke to UK Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab on the developments in Afghanistan, but more details were not revealed. 

(With ANI inputs)

(IMAGE: PTI)