Death of youth in Russia: Randeep Surjewala slams Centre, BJP govt for inaction

Parveen Arora

Karnal, July 28

The family members of Ravi, a youth of Mator village in Kaithal, who was allegedly killed on the Russian warfront, along with families of five others from the same village who are missing, met Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala today. Surjewala lambasted the Union and the state governments for their inaction. He accused the government for not taking the issue seriously despite it being raised on April 7.

Deceased went to Russia on Jan 13

Ajay, brother of Ravi, said his brother along with five other youths of the village went to Russia on January 13 this year for a job. He said they were in touch with him for some days, but he was later sent on the frontline. They had no communication with him after March 12.

Family asked to provide father’s DNA

The embassy of India in Moscow, which has confirmed the death of Ravi in Russia, in reply to Ravi’s brother Ajay’s mail, has asked them to provide the DNA of his father, as their mother had passed away in 2018. The embassy has assured to send the mortal remains to India after the confirmation of DNA test.

He alleged that the BJP government has failed to bring back Haryana youth stuck in Russia to India. “We had written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on April 7, seeking the return of eight youth of Haryana, including six from Mator village in Kaithal district, one from Tohana in Fatehabad, and one from Sambli in Karnal district, but no help was provided by the government,” Surjewala said.

The MP also slammed Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and the BJP government for being “mute spectators” to the plight of the youth stuck on the Russian battleground.

“We kept knocking the doors of the Modi government and Saini government, but they did not act and in the meanwhile a youth from Haryana died. The news of Ravi’s death is heart-breaking. It’s an example of the BJP government’s incompetence towards the youth.” Surjewala questioned the government’s responsibility, asking whether the Haryana Government had no role in bringing back the mortal remains of Ravi and ensuring the safe return of the other missing youths.

Surjewala also accused the BJP of glorifying the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Russia, claiming that the PM had discussed the issue of return of the youth to India with President Vladimir Putin during his recent visit to Russia, but no result has come out of it and we only got the news of Ravi’s death,” he added.