In a pressing call to action, Rajasthan’s Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging immediate steps to bring back Indian citizens stranded and missing in Russia. The issue has snowballed into a major humanitarian crisis, with families from Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu pouring out their anguish over loved ones lured into the Russian armed forces under false pretenses.
On Wednesday, 24 distraught family members visited Beniwal’s Delhi residence, sharing harrowing tales of uncertainty. Their young relatives, promised civilian jobs by shady travel agents, find themselves in conflict zones with no communication for months. The MP highlighted the mounting distress as parents and spouses grapple with the unknown fates of their kin.
Beniwal referenced official data from the Winter Session of Parliament, revealing 211 Indians entangled in this ordeal. Tragically, 27 have lost their lives, while 121 have been repatriated. That leaves 63 still trapped, some unaccounted for entirely. He demanded top-priority rescue operations, transparent updates, and support for grieving families.
This isn’t Beniwal’s first rodeo on this front. Last December, he raised the alarm in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, labeling it a dire human tragedy. These youths arrived in Russia on study or work visas, only to be deceived into military roles amid the Russia-Ukraine war. As families endure endless agony, the government faces mounting pressure to act decisively.
Beniwal’s letter underscores the urgency: secure the remaining Indians, compensate the bereaved, and crack down on fraudulent agents. With diplomatic channels activated, hope flickers for those in peril. The nation watches closely as this saga of deception and despair unfolds.