Expressing concern over the safety of 40 Indians held in captivity of ISIS in Iraq, senior Congress leader Amarinder Singh today asked the Centre to issue a status report saying that their families have been "kept in dark" so far.
"It is the duty of the Union Government to keep the relatives updated and in loop about what it was doing to save these people," Amarinder said in a statement here.
He also criticised Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for allegedly failing on his promise to pay a monthly compensation of Rs 20,000 each to families of Indians taken hostage by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
He alleged that the compensation was paid for one month only, after which the government backed out.
Drawing attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj towards the plight of the families of the captives, he said, "Their relatives have told me that the government officials, both in Punjab and at the Centre, have stopped taking their calls."
The Congress Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha said five months had passed since these people were kidnapped and yet nothing was known about them.
The 40 Indians, most of whom are from Punjab, were working on construction projects near the Iraqi city of Mosul, when they were taken hostage on June 11.
Amarinder said he will raise the matter in the ongoing session of the Parliament as well.
