Credit: PTI
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the successful rescue of Indian citizens from conflict-hit Ukraine would positively impact the assembly elections going on in India, PTI reported.
"Over 13,000 citizens have reached India, and more flights are coming in. This process had a positive impact on elections and on the people also," Shah said.
Through the statement, while addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, he underscored that the government is closely observing the situation in the former Soviet nation, currently under the gun points of Russia.
Shah said that the BJP's Union government had issued an advisory for Indians in Ukraine as early as February 15. But Russia only initiated its offensive on its neighbour on February 24, nine days later. His government has been keeping a close watch on Ukraine's situation since January, he said. Indian government launched "Operation Ganga" to rescue citizens from Ukraine.
Shah further said that New Delhi sent teams who speak Russian to four of the nearby countries of Ukraine and opened a control room. Till March 4, the government was able to evacuate 16,000 citizens from the warzone successful, he said.
Since the Ukraine airspace got shut on February 24, Indians got stuck in the country. They were advised to go to neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland by crossing borders and were airlifted.
In Uttar Pradesh, the 7th phase of elections will happen on March 7, and votes to be counted on March 10. Counting in of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur will also take place on the 10th.