Owaisi slams Ukraine's Indian envoy for likening Mughals & Russians: 'Islamophobic'

Bristling at the Ukraine envoy's comparison of Russia's attack to Mughal invasion, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday, called his knowledge 'half-baked'. Claiming that the envoy's remarks 'reeked of Islamophobia', he wondered where he got the idea to use 'Mughals' to get the PM's attention. Ukraine has repeatedly sought India's intervention in stopping Putin's attack. The seventh day of the war is currently underway, with Russian forces inching closer to Kyiv - where President Volodymyr Zelensky stands determined. 

Owaisi lambasts Ukrainian envoy

On Tuesday, Ambassador of Ukraine to India Dr Igor Polikha compared the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war to the Mughal-Rajpur wars. He said, "It's like the massacre arranged by Mughals against Rajputs. We are asking every time all influential world leaders, among them Modi Ji, to use every resource against Putin to stop bombing and shelling".

Previously, Polikha invoked the Mahabharata to get India's support saying, “India had qualified in diplomacy through Kautilya, Chanakya several thousand years ago when Europe had no civilization. India is an influential global player and for many years, was the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which was created at the time of the cold war. At present, we are pleading for political assistance from India. Modiji is one of the most powerful leaders of the world and has a special partnership with Russia.”

India's stance on Ukraine

At the UN  Security Council India along with China & UAE abstained from voting to pass a resolution condemning Russia and demanding 'immediate, complete and unconditional' withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. The resolution failed to pass as Russia vetoed the vote - reducing it to a mere symbolic censure. Later, the UNSC passed a resolution to refer the Russia-Ukraine war matter to an emergency session of UN General Assembly - with 11 voting, Russia against and India, China and UAE abstaining. As of date, Ukraine has lost 352 civilians including 14 children in the war against Russia.

Moreover, at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), India  maintained its neutral stance on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and asserted that human rights need to be pursued with dialogues. India was among 13 countries out of 47 that abstained from voting at the UNHRC to hold an urgent debate on Ukraine that will also consider a resolution for a probe into alleged human rights violations. India has also sent 2 tonne humanitarian aid to Ukraine via its Airforce carrier.

Operation Ganga

Currently, India has flagged off Operation Ganga to evacuate Indians from Ukraine via Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia at its own expense as Ukraine has closed its airspace for civilian flights. Until now, 12 flights have deparated to India bringing nearly 2773 nationals via Hungary, Poland, Romania, Moldova. Indian Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is handling evacuation from Romania and Moldova borders, Kiren Rijiju  from Slovakia border, Hardeep Singh Puri at Hungary border and V.K Singh at Poland. Over 18,000 students from India are studying medicine in Ukraine and seek evacuation amid the Russian invasion.