New Delhi:
The Congress on Tuesday slammed Modi government for “giving false hopes” to the nation by hiding the news of the death of 39 Indians abducted in Iraq’s Mosul.
“Why did the Govt give false hope to the nation for three and a half years that the people were still alive? That was disappointing behaviour,” Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said condoling the deaths.
Shashi Tharoor’s reaction came after the External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj in Parliament confirmed that all the 39 Indians who were abducted in Iraq have died.
“39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraq have died. Deep penetration radar confirmed that all Indians were dead after all bodies were exhumed,” Swaraj informed the house.
Meanwhile, “shocked” by the news, Congress President Rahul Gandhi expressed his deep condolences to the families of the deceased.
Highlights | 39 Indians abducted in Iraq killed, Sushma slams Congress for playing politics
“shocked to hear that 39 Indians who were in captivity since 2014, in Iraq, are now confirmed dead. My deepest condolences to the families of those who have lived in hope, that their loved ones will return unharmed. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you today,” Rahul tweeted.
In 2014, 40 Indian construction workers, mostly from Punjab, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Bengal, were taken hostage by the ISIS in Iraq’s largest city Mosul.
In July last 2017, the EAM along with MoS Gen VK Singh had met the family members of all the 39 Indians who went missing.
She told the families that the fight is going on and that the Indian authorities were informed that the missing citizens were last located in a prison in Badush.
"We had been running from pillar to post since four years and now we're being told via TV that we lost one of our own," said Gurpinder Kaur, sister of Manjinder Singh, who was among the citizens killed.
"He had left for Iraq 7 years ago. We last talked to each other in 2015. They had taken DNA samples 2-3 months back. I don't know what to say," said Kamaljeet Kaur, said the wife of another victim.
