Akhilesh Yadav links Operation Ganga to UP elections; calls evacuation mission a 'failure'

Amid Russia-Ukraine war, SP chief Akhilesh Yav linked evacuation of Indian students from war-hit nation to ongoing Uttar Presh election. Speaking to media on Monday, Yav claimed that evacuation mission was named 'Operation Ganga' to hide Centre's "failure" in repatriating Indians from Ukraine. Moreover, he claimed that mention of River Ganga was a bid to influence election, especially in Purvanchal region. polling for final phase of UP polls will end today. 

SP chief Akhilesh Yav remarked, " Centre was unsuccessful in helping Indian students stuck in Ukraine and ir families. We should always stand with those who have suffered injustice. Indian government would talk about strength. se people would say that India is being recognised in world. But y couldn't evacuate Indians stuck re."

"To hide ir failure, y named evacuation mission 'Operation Ganga'. y did so because election is in Varanasi. Ganga is in Mirzapur," former UP CM ded. 

What is Operation Ganga? 

Under aegis of Operation Ganga, Union government is aiming to evacuate Indians from Hungary, Poland, Romania, Moldova and Slovakia. While Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Kiren Rijiju and Gen (retd) VK Singh have reached Hungary, Slovakia and Poland respectively, Jyotiritya Scindia has gone to Romania and Moldova to coordinate evacuation mission and extend assistance to stranded nationals. As per MEA, top priority is to rescue Indians from Sumy, which is under intense attack from Russian forces. 

situation got tense after Naveen, a 4th-year medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University was killed in a Russian attack. As Putin's forces went on offensive by attacking central Freedom Square and residential districts of Kharkiv, Indian Embassy in Ukraine issued an urgent visory at 4.57 pm IST on March 2 asking stranded students to leave Kharkiv immediately.  As of 7.14 pm on March 6, over 15,920 students have been evacuated via 76 flights from Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia under Operation Ganga. 

Meanwhile, Indian student Harjot Singh who was hospitalized after sustaining bullet injuries in Kyiv will reach national capital in evening. As per sources, buses are on way to pick up approximately 700 students stranded in Sumy. A day earlier, Indian Embassy in Ukraine mentioned that a team from Embassy is stationed in  Poltava City to coordinate safe passage of Indians to western border.