No plan yet to airlift Indians from UK despite appeals

India still does not have any plan to evacuate its citizens from the United Kingdom, although several of them have been urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government in New Delhi to help them return in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The High Commission of India in London rather dismissed the rumors about a special aircraft being arranged to evacuate Indians from the United Kingdom.

The British High Commission in New Delhi, however, reassured the citizens of the UK in India that efforts were being made to arrange their evacuation.

The COVID-19 so far infected over 17093 people and killed over 1000 in the UK. Even British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was tested positive a few days back.

Many Indian students and others living in or visiting the UK took to Twitter to urge the High Commission of India in London to arrange special aircraft to evacuate them.

“From (the) past two days in (the) UK, there have been 6000 new cases of COVID-19 and every day its (it’s) getting worse and the recovery rate is really low. Its (it’s) getting scary to live here,” Aaryan Verma, who lives at Liverpool in England, posted on Twitter, drawing the attention of the High Commission of India in London and the Government of India in New Delhi.

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India on March 18 restricted entry of its nationals as well as of foreign citizens from Europe, in view of the rapid spread of the pandemic across the continent. It was followed by a complete ban on arrival of any passenger onboard any scheduled international commercial aircraft in any airport in India after 1:30 a.m. on March 23 till the same time on April 14.

New Delhi, however, evacuated Indian citizens from China, Japan, Iran and Italy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are group of more than 300 students in Newcastle (UK), who had come here for attending the short course and exam on a student visitor visa. The return flights are not available since 18th March. Could you kindly help us go back home in India,” Manish, another student, tweeted, drawing attention of Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar?

“We would have received help by now if Sushma Swaraj Ji was still there,” tweeted another Indian, recalling the predecessor of Jaishankar.

Swaraj was External Affairs Minister in Modi Government’s first tenure. She often received accolades from Twitterati, for responding quickly to any request on social media for help from Indians living in or visiting any foreign country. Jaishankar replaced her when Modi Government commenced its second term in office on May 30. She passed away a few weeks later.

“Sir, with the lockdown already in the UK for a week most of us who are students do not have any jobs as we mostly rely on restaurants or take always which are now closed. Due to this are already at home for a week,” Chanpreet Singh, another Indian in the UK, tweeted adding: “Could you please tell us how India is planning to evacuate us?”

"High Commission notes with dismay that some rumours are being spread even in such trying times. We request all not to pay attention to rumours. Stay connected with us for updates,” the High Commission of India in London posted on Twitter, reacting to some fake message being circulated on WhatsApp about Air India sending aircraft to bring home Indians from the UK.

The UK Government, however, assured all Indians and other foreign nationals in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland that their visa validity would be extended till May 31.