Sri Guru Granth Sahib, 46 Indian passport holders to arrive India today
Darpan News Desk IANS, 23 Aug, 2021 11:51 AM
Three Sri Guru Granth Sahib and 46 Afghan Hindus & Sikhs with Indian passport holders are expected to arrive India on Monday amid growing tension in Afghanistan.
The source has confirmed that the stranded Indian nationals and 46 Afghan Hindus & Sikhs, with 3 Sri Guru Granth Sahib, are currently inside the Hamid Karzai International Airport at Kabul and will reach India by Monday night. They are being escorted to the Indian Air Force aircraft.
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management committee and SAD leader Manjinder S. Sirsa said, "3 Sri Guru Granth Sahib and 46 Indian passport holders will arrive in India today. We thank GoI & PM Modi for helping Hindus-Sikhs in Afghanistan. We're in touch with minorities in Kabul who wish to be evacuated."
In a seperate development, one more private plane carrying Indian nationals landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Monday morning. However, out of a total of 30 persons who have been evacuated from Kabul via Qatar, two have tested positive for Covid-19. "Two persons out of 146 people who have returned to India from Afghanistan today have tested positive for Covid-19", said Rajinder Kumar, Nodal Officer (Delhi govt) for Covid testing of Afghanistan returnees.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the government is committed to the safe return of all Indian nationals from Afghanistan. Prime Minister Modi has asked the foreign ministry to brief floor leaders of political parties on developments in Afghanistan.
India is evacuating stranded Indian Citizens from Afghanistan and has been allowed two flights per day from Kabul.
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar tweeted, "In view of developments in Afghanistan, PM Modi has instructed that MEA brief Floor Leaders of political parties. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi will be intimating further details."
India on Sunday evacuated 168 passengers including 107 Indian nationals through Indian Air Force's C-17 aircraft which landed at the Hindan IAF base in Ghaziabad.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) to cancel or revisit all the "one-sided" pacts with private companies that are not contractually obligated to supply sufficient power to meet the state's peak demand during the paddy sowing and summer season.
The new leadership team, led by state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, had called on the Chief Minister and submitted a letter listing out some issues as needing urgent settlement.
The bodies of Khare Besra, 75 and his wife Curki Devi, 70, were recovered from Baragarda jungle of Giridih. The old couple, residents of Kumharlalo panchayat, had gone into the jungle on Saturday but had not returned and other villagers had filed a missing report with police.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review the demands of the striking employees, he expressed concern over their continued agitation, which has severely impacted the functioning of various state government departments.
The opposition has been continuously attacking the government after it told the Parliament on July 20 that states have not reported any death due to oxygen during the second wave.
