MEA briefs MPs' panel on Ukraine crisis, Rahul says no perfect solutions in war time

Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told a meeting of the Consultative Committee of MPs for the Ministry of External Affairs that the war situations are "always challenging" and there are "no perfect solutions in such situations" even as he and his party colleagues found fault with the government for not taking effective steps on time to evacuate Indians stuck in Ukraine.

The Consultative Committee of MPs, an informal mechanism for interaction with the government and MPs, was briefed by Foreign Secretary Harsh Varshan Shringla in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other senior officials about the current situation in war-hit Ukraine. Nine of the 21 MPs who are part of the committee attended the deliberations.

After the "good discussion on the strategic and humanitarian aspects of the issue", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted, "strong and unanimous message of support for efforts to bring back all Indians from Ukraine. A national consensus on the importance of dialogue and diplomacy. Thank all members for their participation."

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Sources said Congress MPs — Rahul, Anand Sharma and Shashi Tharoor — told the meeting that India's interests are "paramount" for all of them and their suggestions were given with a "positive" attitude.

Congress MPs were of the view that the government did not take effective steps on time regarding the stranded students in Ukraine. They felt that the government should have acted more quickly to get them out of the war zone.

Initially, sources quoted the MPs as saying, the advisories issued there were also confusing but not clear, due to which most of the students remained there. They also told the meeting that the Indian government should have used India's "goodwill to mediate" between the two countries so that the violence would have stopped.

Also Read | Russia says 130 buses ready to evacuate Indian students, foreigners from Ukraine

For the time being, sources quoted Rahul as saying, our priority should be to get our students out of Ukraine safely. War situations are always challenging and there are no perfect solutions in such situations, Rahul said while praising the efforts of officers and Indian missions in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries from where evacuation is planned.

On what should be India's stand on the conflict, the Congress MPs said that one cannot adopt "partisan approach" in a war situation and it was necessary that New Delhi "remain neutral so that our people can get out safely".

Tharoor said it was an "excellent meeting" in which the MEA gave "comprehensive briefing and candid responses" to MPs' questions and concerns. "This is the spirit in which foreign policy should be run...The meeting took place in a constructive spirit and all parties are united in their desire to see our nationals return safely home...Frank discussions took place in an amicable atmosphere, a reminder that when it comes to national interests we are all Indians first and foremost."

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "...all stand united in the efforts to bring our students back home."

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