Page 20 - NIS English 16-30 June 2022

Cover Story India on the World Stage

We saw the power of the tricolour there, Sonu, a small 6-year-old innocent kidnapped from
when no one stopped to check after seeing Delhi and sent to Bangladesh, recalls, "We were playing
the tricolour on the buses. The Indian flag outside when a lady came and took me away. Later,
was installed in buses that transported it I was taken to Bangladesh and forced to work while
to the airport. The army there did not even being beaten. I was overjoyed to learn that, thanks to the
stop to check after raising the flag. What efforts of the Indian government, I would be able to meet
does the tricolour represent? We learned my family."
about it in Ukraine. The tricolour is the The story of Gurpreet Kaur is also not different. She
went to Germany with her daughter to find her husband
Indians' shield there. We were terrified, to complete her family. She was hoodwinked into going
but with the assistance of the Indian to Germany by her husband's family where she and
government, we returned safely. We've her daughter were kept in a refugee camp. She also
learned the significance of the tricolour. gave up hope of ever being able to return to India. She
Only the Indian government is assisting in was, however, returned safely from a refugee camp in
this situation. Our documents were quickly Germany. She says, "The driver dropped me off outside
verified. Documents from students from the refugee camp and told me to go inside. I'll be bringing
other countries, on the other hand, were your mother-in-law and father-in-law with me." I couldn't
not verified." The stories of students like find anyone when I came out. I began to believe that
Kashish Sharma and Oshima, who arrived this would be my entire life. Whatever occurred to me
in Shimla from the Russo-Ukraine war zone, occurred. I would never be able to forgive myself if
or Sakshi Singh or Hemant from Agra, or something had happened to my daughter. My family had
the Indians who returned under Operation gone with the same hope that my task would be finished.
Ganga for the Indians trapped in Ukraine, are No dream was realised. But I was overjoyed when the
then-Foreign Minister announced that I would be returned.
not only stories of saved lives but a symbol I had the feeling that the minister should move quickly in
of rising self-esteem. front of me, and that I should hold her feet.”

Similar is the story of Sushil Kapoor, who joined a shipping company in Dubai. Within a few days,
Sushil had reached a place from which it was impossible to return. He says, "We had to get diesel
from Oman and sell the same diesel in Dubai." This process took 7–8 days, and then a ship
appeared next to our ship, with people on board who began assaulting us. They had bound our
hands and feet. Then they took us to Iran, where we learned that we had been sentenced to two
years in prison and a fine. The fine was approximately Rs 19.4 crore. On false pretences, I was
charged with smuggling. Because of the hefty fine, there was no way to return home. When Iran's
Foreign Minister came to India, my case was put before him. "I was then released and allowed to
return to India."

18 New India Samachar June 16-30, 2022