Express News Service
LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, wrapped up his hectic day in Uttar Pradesh after addressing two poll rallies in Jaunpur and Chandauli by interacting with a group of students who have recently returned to various parts of the state from the war-torn Ukraine.
On his way back to Delhi, the PM met the students at Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Varanasi in the evening listening to their harrowing experiences and reassuring them that rest of their friends still stranded in Ukraine would be brought back soon.
“I can understand the mental state you have gone through at such a young age. Your agony is beyond words and imagination,” said the prime minister in his brief interaction with the students.
The prime minister maintained that despite all the adversities in the strife torn country, the government of India was leaving no stone unturned to evacuate remaining students safely.
“Operation Ganga—the evacuation is on under adverse conditions. But be rest assured that all Indians will be brought to the country safely,” Modi said.
Students including Abhishek Kesari, who had been studying at Ivano University Frankis, Divya Srivastav, who was studying at Ternopil Medical University, Tausifa Naaz, who was pursuing MBBS-I at Uzhhorod University said that PM listened to them and empathized with them.
“He assured us that efforts to bring back rest of the India students would be intensified,” said the students extending their gratitude to the PM and government of India for their safe evacuation.
“PM initially asked about our experience and problems we faced in reaching border of countries like Hungary and Romania,” said Tausifa Naaz.
About her experience in Ukraine Naaz said, “We realized the efforts of the Government of India and the impact of its diplomacy to convince Russian authorities to stop the assault and give window to ensure safe passage to Indian students from Ukraine. Students from no other country like Pakistan of Turkey are getting this kind of support from their country or government.”
Besides, Neha Patel, Saurabh Kumar Verma, Unnati Patel, Shah Faizal, Rahul Singh of Varanasi, Abhishek Yadav and Himanshu Gupta of Jaunpur, Shweta Dubey of Ghazipur, Sandhya Singh of Pratapgarh, Vishal Kumar Maurya, Ruchi Pandey and Ritik Diwakar of Prayagraj, were among those who interacted with the PM.
The students also shared how they experienced the power of tricolor.
“As we were getting special treatment by Ukrainian forces, the students from Pakistan, Turkey, Nigeria and many other countries also mounted Indian flag on their buses so that they could reach borders of Poland, Hungary, Romania and others to stay safe till any help come for them,” they said.