HYDERABAD, Feb 21: Bringing attention to the plight of 12 Indian youths duped by agents on the promise of jobs but taken to Russia and allegedly sent to the warfront on the border with Ukraine, AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday requested the union government to bring them back safely. He requested the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to hold talks with the Russian government to ensure the safe return of the youth to India. Speaking to reporters here, the Hyderabad MP said the youth belonging to Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh were taken to Russia in December last year. “Twelve youth from India were duped by agents and taken to Russia on the promise of jobs. The agents had said they (the unemployed youth) would be offered building security jobs but after cheating them they were taken to the warfront on the Russia-Ukraine border,” he said. Owaisi said the family members of the victims had met him in this regard. He said that he has written to External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and the Indian Ambassador in Russia, Pavan Kapoor, requesting their help to bring back the youth to India.
Three agents, one of whom is in Dubai and runs a vlog and two others from Mumbai, cheated the youngsters and sent them to the war front, Owaisi said, adding, “It is a big racket and the agents are exploiting the unemployed youth of the country”. In the letter addressed to Jaishankar, Owaisi said, “It is learnt that they went to Russia for job purpose. But they were misguided by the Indian agents and were being joined in the Russian Army. They are not able to contact their families. Their families are worried a lot about them”.
The letter further said, “The youth have also released videos informing how they were left in the battlefield and they were also fired upon.” Meanwhile, the AIMIM chief said his party would continue its efforts to ensure that Narendra Modi does not become the prime minister for a third term in 2024.
“Our effort is that Narendra Modi does not become the Prime Minister for the third time. We put in efforts in 2014 and 2019 (Lok Sabha polls) and we will make efforts in 2024 also. We expect that the people of the country will take note of price rise and unemployment issues. Farmers are upset,” Owaisi said. In the past 10 years, BJP has promoted a majoritarian form of politics, he said. He further accused the BJP and PM Modi of politically and socially marginalising Muslims, Christians, Dalits and tribal people. On Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav’s statement that an alliance with the Congress will happen in Uttar Pradesh, Owaisi pointed out that Yadav lost the 2014 elections and 2019 Lok Sabha polls as well as the 2017 and 2022 assembly polls to the BJP. “They abuse Owaisi and AIMIM. But they are not able to defeat BJP. How many elections will Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party lose. And now again (they) say they will stop BJP. You have lost four elections. Your party leaders are leaving you (your party),” Owaisi said. “As far as AIMIM is concerned,” he said, “party leaders in Uttar Pradesh have been saying that AIMIM should contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and party leaders from Maharashtra are also saying that they need to field candidates from four-five constituencies apart from ‘Aurangabad’ (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) in that state, represented by the party.”
“Our talks are going on. It will be too early to say (on decision) Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra,” he added. When asked whether he would accept an invitation, if it is forthcoming, from the INDIA bloc to join it, Owaisi indicated he may not. Asked about the farmers protests, Owaisi said their demands, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, and withdrawal of police cases, among others, should be accepted. (PTI)
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