Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canadian Volunteers Fighting With Kurds In Iraq Might Violate Anti-Terror Law

The Canadian Press, 28 Jan, 2016 11:45 AM
    Akshay Kumar's latest Bollywood offering "Airlift", which revolves around the evacuation of Indians from Kuwait during the 1990 Gulf war, took artistic liberties with actual events, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday.
     
    "One, the fact that such a theme has been selected for a film shows how important it is," ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said in a statement following what he called a lot of queries being received on the role played by the ministry during the evacuation.
     
    "We at the ministry of external affairs consider the protection of Indian citizens abroad as among our foremost responsibilities," he said.
     
    He said the ministry has done this in the past and would continue to do so in the future as well.
     
    "Second, this is a film. Now, films often take liberties with actual events, with facts and this particular film has also taken a lot of artistic liberties in the depictions of the events that actually happened in Kuwait in 1990," said Swarup, whose 2005 novel "Q&A" was turned into Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" by director Danny Boyle.
     
    He said those who remember the 1990 evacuation "would also know the very proactive role played that the ministry of external affairs played".
     
    He recalled the official Indian delegation that was sent to Baghdad and Kuwait and the coordination that was put in place with the civil aviation ministry, Air India and a number of other government departments.
     
    "I myself can vouch for this as I myself was on the frontline of evacuating Indians from Kuwait who were coming to Turkey via Syria," Swarup said.
     
    "Third, those of you who may not remember the 1990 evacuation will certainly remember the more remember the more recent evacuations that the ministry of external affairs had coordinated from Iraq, from Libya, from Yemen and from Ukraine," he said.
     
    At the same time, he expressed the hope that "Airlift" would inspire people to read more about the actual events that took place and "the very proactive role that the ministry of external affairs always played in safeguarding the interest, and concerns and the security of Indian citizens who live and work abroad".
     
    Swarup also tweeted that the film was "great entertainment but rather short on facts".
     
    Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, "Airlift", which also stars "The Lunchbox" actress Nimrat Kaur, tells how the Indian government evacuated 170,000 people of Indian origin and also of other nationalities through 488 flights during the war.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Five Suddenly Expensive Foodstuffs, According To Statistics Canada

    Five Suddenly Expensive Foodstuffs, According To Statistics Canada
    Climbing prices for fresh fruits and vegetables as well as meat products helped fuel the 1.6 per cent increase in Canada's annual inflation rate in December

    Five Suddenly Expensive Foodstuffs, According To Statistics Canada

    Weak Snow Layer Raises Risk Of Avalanche, Prompts Warning In B.C.

    Avalanche Canada has issued a special public warning that begins today and remains in effect until Monday.

    Weak Snow Layer Raises Risk Of Avalanche, Prompts Warning In B.C.

    Police Officers Describe Conditions Of Two Little Girls At Centre Of Abuse Trial

    Police Officers Describe Conditions Of Two Little Girls At Centre Of Abuse Trial
     Police officers have taken the stand to describe the physical condition of two small sisters who are at the centre of a criminal case in Regina.

    Police Officers Describe Conditions Of Two Little Girls At Centre Of Abuse Trial

    Ministers Develop Plan To Address Violence Against Aboriginal Women, Girls

    Ministers Develop Plan To Address Violence Against Aboriginal Women, Girls
    OTTAWA — Justice and safety ministers from across the country have signed off on an approach to reduce violence against indigenous girls and women.

    Ministers Develop Plan To Address Violence Against Aboriginal Women, Girls

    RCMP Court Case On Labour Code Charges Arising From Moncton Shootings Delayed

    RCMP Court Case On Labour Code Charges Arising From Moncton Shootings Delayed
    The Crown and defence have asked for more time to prepare a case on alleged Canada Labour Code violations by the RCMP related to the force's response to a June 2014 shooting rampage in Moncton, N.B.

    RCMP Court Case On Labour Code Charges Arising From Moncton Shootings Delayed

    Rene Angelil Funeral Set For Montreal This Afternoon

    Rene Angelil Funeral Set For Montreal This Afternoon
    MONTREAL — The funeral service for Celine Dion's late husband will be held in Montreal this afternoon.

    Rene Angelil Funeral Set For Montreal This Afternoon