While the death of Naveen Gyanagoudar, fourth year medical student from Chalageri in Karnataka, in the war-hit Ukraine has left his parents distraught, it has deeply perturbed the families of the other students from Karnataka who are still stuck in different parts of Ukraine and are agitated over the delay in evacuation.
A parent in grief did not spare Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi when he visited Chalageri village in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district on Wednesday to console the family of deceased student Naveen.
Venkatesh Vaishyar, father of Amit Vaishyar, who is also stranded in Kharkiv blamed the Government for the death of Naveen. “Had the Government acted quickly and evacuated the students from Kharkiv, this would not have happened,” he said.
Even as he was speaking, Ranebennur MLA Arunkumar tried to intervene, which further angered Mr. Venkatesh. “How would you know the pain of the parents,” he shot back forcing the MLA to retreat. Mr. Venkatesh minced no words in expressing his displeasure over the delay and urged the Minister to make all efforts to get back his son and other students from the warzone.
Speaking to The Hindu over phone, Mr. Venkatesh said their mind had gone blank as they had received information that further bombing would happen at Kharkiv. “I am in touch with my son Amit, but there is no help to them from Embassy even after 36 hours. Now they say further bombing will happen. All we can do is just pray for their safety,” he said adding they had only received vague assurances from officials and Ministers.
In all, 10 students from Haveri district, including Naveen, had joined medical course in Ukraine. Following the death of Naveen, the officials have visited houses of the other students and have apprised them of the steps being taken for evacuation.
Complaints
Meanwhile, some students from Athani have complained to their parents that the Indian Government was not as serious about students in Eastern Ukraine, as it was about those in Western regions. Mahadev Pujari, from Telsang, said his Nagesh and his friends had conveyed this message to him. Nagesh and his friends had reached Rakiv town near the border on Tuesday night, his father said.
Kiran Savadi from Navagali village in Bagalkot district complained that the Indian embassy officers were not helpful. “We have no food here and we are surviving on water. No embassy officer has reached out to us despite repeated requests. Some are sick and there is no access to any health care facility,’’ Mr. Savadi said in a message to journalists in Bagalkot.
In the message, he has conveyed that Naveen’s death had shocked Indian students in Ukraine. “We live in a town that is around 1,500 km from the Poland border. It is impossible for us to reach there without Government help. We are trying to get to the nearest railway line, but there is heavy shelling,’’ he has said in the message.
Mohammad Ishaq from Talikot in Bagalkot said he was worried about the safety of his son Mohammad Ismail, who had left for Ukraine only two weeks ago. “My son told me that the temperature is around seven degrees below zero and he and his friends are struggling. We just hope the hostilities end soon,’’ he said.
Bhagawant Nidagundi, of Kankanawadi in Belagavi district, was comparatively relieved as his daughter Priya has informed that she was safe. “She is with a group of 10 students trying to reach border in a rental vehicle but they are facing difficulties in getting safe passage,” he said.
Yaseen Bagi, a CRPF soldier whose daughter Raziya Bagi is stuck in Ukraine, said the whole family is praying for her early arrival. “We are not getting regular updates as there is some network problem. Only solace is that they are all safe,’’ he said.
Meanwhile in Dharwad district, Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil visited the families of four students who are stuck in Ukraine, consoled them and briefed them about the diplomatic efforts being made to get their children back.
