 "Govt working tirelessly to bring back Indians stuck in Ukraine: PM Modi")
The government is working tirelessly to bring back all Indians stuck in Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.
Addressing an election rally in Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Modi pointed to the turmoil prevailing in the world and pitched for strengthening the country by making it "atmanirbhar" (self-reliant). He also targeted his political opponents.
India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. With the Ukrainian airspace being closed for civil aircraft operations, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Romanian capital Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest.
The prime minister said the government is working tirelessly to evacuate all Indians stranded in Ukraine.
It is time to rise above barriers of caste and religion and strengthen the country by making it "atmanirbhar", he told the rally.
Previous governments led by dynasts kept India dependent on foreign countries for its defence needs, but now the priority is "atmanirbhar", he said.
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There is a difference between "rashtra bhakti" (devotion to nation) and "pariwar bhakti" (devotion to family), he said taking a swipe at his rivals.
The country celebrated three years of the Balakot air strike on February 26, but dynasts had sought proof of it then, he said.
India carried out the air strike on terrorist launch pads, days after the Pulwama terror attack in which around 40 security forces personnel were killed in 2019.
Modi is also scheduled to address election rallies in support of BJP candidates in Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddarthnagar and Ambedkarnagar later in the day. These areas will vote in the sixth phase on March 3.