Congress on 20 Indians stuck in Russia: 'Mrit kaal' of unemployment prevailing in India

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday attacked the government over around 20 Indians working as support staff to the Russian army being stuck in that country, alleging they are being held "hostage" there as 'mrit kaal' is prevailing back home with rising unemployment.

India on Thursday said it is trying its best for their "early discharge" from Russia.

"It is our understanding that there are 20-odd people (Indians) who have gone their to work as support staff or as helpers with the Russian army," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing here.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the unemployment situation is so terrible here that India's youths are forced into seeking jobs as soldiers abroad and risk their lives in war-torn Israel and Russia.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar alleged that Indians were being held "hostage" in Russia and one person from Gujarat doing civilian work there has been killed.

He questioned the silence of the government on the death.

"If the youth of the country attain martyrdom for their country then it is patriotism. But why are Indian youths having to go to fight for another country? Because the future of the youth is being played within our country. The unemployment rate in the country has almost doubled in the last 10 years," Kumar said.

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Lakhs of posts are vacant in central departments and the condition of government sectors is also very bad, he alleged.

"Indian youth have been held hostage in Russia because there is a 'mrit kaal (disastrous times)' going on for the youth in our country. If Modi government had provided 2 crore jobs every year, the youth would not have had to go abroad," he said.

Russia does not have a permanent army and it runs on contract with a similar model of 'Agniveer' being brought in the country, Kumar said, adding the situation of unemployment in India is such that two youths are committing suicide every hour.

Taking advantage of the helplessness of the country's youth, they were sent to Israel to work as labourers, Kumar said.

In this way the lives of the youth of the country are being played with, he alleged.

MEA spokesperson Jaiswal said the "20-odd people" contacted the Indian embassy in Moscow.

According to media reports, many Indians recruited as security helpers in the Russian military, have been forced to even fight with Russian soldiers in certain areas along Russia's border with Ukraine.

"We are trying our best to get them out. We are trying to get them discharged and support them," Jaiswal had said.

—PTI