Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has castigated external affairs minister S. Jaishankar for attacking veteran leader P.C. Siddaramaiah who had sought the rescue of Kannadigas stranded in Sudan where two arms of the military are fighting for control of the African nation.
Ramesh slammed Jaishankar for accusing Siddaramaiah of playing politics over Indians trapped in Sudan capital Khartoum, after the former Karnataka chief minister had appealed for the safe evacuation of the Hakki Pikki tribespeople who had travelled from the state.
“A most appalling response from the external affairs minister to a former CM with a genuine appeal. This level of nastiness from a man I have known so very well… who has developed new loyalties and who wants to show that in whatever he says and does. I am (smiling mask emoji) on his past,” Ramesh said.
While the smiling mask emoji represents the Covid pandemic, Ramesh apparently meant “silent” when he used the smiley with a surgical mask on.
A source in the Karnataka home ministry said the state government was still gathering details of the exact number of Hakki Pikkis in Sudan although unofficial estimates put the total at around 180.
Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra on Wednesday held a meeting with director-general of police Praveen Sood and additional chief secretary in charge of the department, Rajneesh Goel, to discuss steps to bring the stranded Kannadigas back home from Sudan.
“The minister has instructed the officials to be in constant touch with the ministry of external affairs and ensure all necessary steps are taken to bring the stranded people back home. We are monitoring the developments in Sudan,” a source in the home ministry told this newspaper.
India is coordinating with the Sudan Quartet of the US, UK, UAE and Saudi Arabia to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals caught in the fighting between the army and a para-military group in the North East African country since last weekend.
Jaishankar discussed the turn of events in Sudan with his counterparts in the UAE and Saudi Arabia late on Tuesday night while Indian ambassadors in the US and the UK have been in touch with their respective host governments about the situation in Sudan.
India, according to sources, is also working with the United Nations which has a substantial presence in Sudan. As of now, the Indian government’s advice to all nationals is to remain indoors but be prepared to move at short notice.
Of the 185 people killed since fighting broke out, one is an Indian. The Indian diaspora in Sudan is about 4,000-strong. According to the Indian embassy in Khartoum, 1,200 of them are settled in the country.
Venkatesh, who belongs to the Hakki Pikki community, said about 20 of his compatriots from the Pakshirajapura tribal hamlet near Mysore were among those stranded in Sudan.
“To my knowledge about 20 of our people from Pakshirajapura have gone to Sudan. We haven’t been able to establish any contact with them since phone calls are not going through,” he told The Telegraph on Wednesday.
“Our people have been travelling to several African countries for many years to sell our native medicines for diabetes, sprains and muscular issues, gastric problems and hair growth, among others. We also carry our tribal handicrafts and artworks to sell there,” he said.
Venkatesh said he was not aware of the social media spat between Congress leaders and Jaishankar. “All we want is the safe return of our brethren,” he said.
A Mysore-based travel agent who declined to be named told this newspaper that he had made travel arrangements for about 40 people from Pakshirajapura. “My understanding is a majority of the Hakki Pikkis stranded in Sudan are from Shimogaand they usually travel via Mumbai.”
