New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: The Supreme Court on Thursday told a counsel that the court feels bad for people who are suffering and the Indian students, who are stuck in Ukraine amid the ongoing war, but it cannot direct the Russian President to stop the war. The court also directed Attorney General KK Venugopal to help in the evacuation of Indian medical students who have been stranded in war-torn Ukraine near the Romania border.
The SC's remarks came on submissions of a lawyer that several students are stuck near the Romanian border in freezing cold and the government is not running flights from Romania. Taking up the matter, the SC bench headed by CJI NV Ramana, mused how can it give orders to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the war.
"We sympathise with the students, we are feeling very bad. But can we direct Russia's President Putin to stop the war?", the bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli, said.
The plea, submitted by senior lawyer AM Dar, contended that the government is not operating flights from Romania where students, mostly girls are stranded in freezing temperatures for the last 6 days. “Flights are being operated from Poland and Hungary and not from Romania. The students, which also included many girls, are stuck without any facility,” AM Dar said.
The bench further said it has all sympathies with the students in Ukraine, and the Indian government is doing its work. The bench added that it will seek the Attorney General's view in the matter.
Apprising the court about government's efforts to evacuate stranded Indians, Attorney General KK Venugopal submitted that the Centre has sent ministers to ensure the safe evacuation of Indians who have crossed the Ukrainian border and so far we are considering that everyone is being allowed to cross into neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs today said that it is coordinating with Ukrainian authorities to arrange special trains for taking students out of the eastern region and help them in reaching the western borders of Ukraine.
"Our Embassy in Ukraine is in continuous touch with Indian nationals in Ukraine... We have requested the support of the Ukrainian authorities in arranging special trains for taking out students from Kharkiv and neighbouring areas to the western part of the country", the MEA said.
"We have been coordinating effectively with the countries in the region, including Russia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova. A large number of Indian nationals have been evacuated from Ukraine in the last few days", the MEA added.
(With Agency Inputs)