Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday expressed grief over the death of Indians kidnapped by the ISIS in Iraq’s Mosul in 2014 while the AAP demanded the resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for misleading the families of the dead. Capt Amarinder Singh said that the announcement was expected because it was known much earlier that all hostage Indians had been killed.
He also requested the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to do the needful in bringing back the bodies of 39 Indians from Iraq’s Mosul and provide the necessary assistance to their families in performing the last rites.
In a letter to the Union Minister, Capt Amarinder has also asked the Centre to announce an ex-gratia relief to the families of the deceased.
“I would like to request you to provide all necessary assistance to the families of the deceased for their last rites. Further, the government of India should announce an ex gratia relief to the families of the deceased Indian nationals,” read the letter.
Mentioning that 27 of the 39 dead were from Punjab, the Chief Minister said Swaraj’s statement had come as a shock to the families. “The news has come as a great shock for the families as well as for all of us who were hoping and
praying for their well-being,” the letter said.
Amarinder said the Punjab Government had been providing a monthly assistance of Rs 20,000 to each of the 27 families of the “missing” Indians in the State and asked the Centre to announce a financial package for them considering the special circumstances.
Expressing grief over the news after the Vidhan Sabha adjourned for the day, Amarinder said, “We had expected this. It is very sad. When they (Indians) disappeared and one boy escaped from there, he only told that they all have been killed. The fact was known much earlier. It should have been announced earlier.”
“Shattered at the heart-wrenching news…My heart goes out to the families who had been living in hope since their reported abduction by ISIS in 2014. Prayers with all of them,” tweeted Capt Amarinder following Swaraj’s statement confirming the death of 39 Indians, most of them Punjabis, who had gone missing in Iraq in 2014.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal also tweeted his condolences to the family, “Deeply pained to hear the heart-wrenching news about 39 Indians reportedly abducted by ISIS in Iraq, being dead. Mostly Punjabis, hope of their families to see them alive has vanished. In this hour of shock and grief, I am with the families and pray for the departed souls.”
The news was received with dismay in the Punjab Assembly, which was in session on Tuesday. The leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira from Aam Aadmi Party slammed the Centre and Punjab Government for mishandling the situation.
He demanded that the state government should offer a job to the next of kin of the deceased besides sanctioning an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh to each family.
AAP also accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of playing politics over the dead. “BJP had been playing politics on such a sensitive issue for over three years...They have lost all credibility. They should apologise to the nation and family members of the dead, most of them who hailed from Punjab,” said AAP MlA Aman Arora.
He also demanded that the Government should announce an immediate compensation of Rs 50 lakh and a job to one member of the family of the victims.