On May 1, one of the Indians who got rescued from Sudan criticised the arrangements made by the Government of India to rescue Indians from war-hit Sudan. In a tweet, he questioned the lack of air conditioning in the plane used by the Air Force to rescue Indians from Sudan. Sharing a photograph of the rescue plan carrying hundreds of Indians, he wrote, “Try sitting like this for 5 hours. This was Jeddah to Delhi flight with no AC.”
#OperationKaveri try sitting like this for 5 hours. This was Jeddah to Delhi flight with no AC. pic.twitter.com/qzd0GDH1nr
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) May 1, 2023
While replying to a tweet, Ramesh clarified he was not even on that plane. A friend shared the image. He came back “comfortably” on Saudia Airlines. He said, “Bangalore (read South Indian) passengers like me came via Saudia Airlines. Those to Delhi went in this aircraft. Those to Delhi went in this aircraft.” Ramesh clearly did not know or chose to ignore that C17 and C130J, the planes used by India for the rescue mission, have regulated temperatures. Sitting in a plane at 35,000 ft altitude is impossible without regulated temperature.
Yes. Bangalore (read South Indian) passengers like me came via Saudia airlines. Those to Delhi went in this aircraft.
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) May 1, 2023
Not to forget, the Saudia Airlines plane that he took was also arranged by the Government of India. As per reports, India took services from Saudi Airlines alongside its own Indian Air Force C130J aircraft to fly Indians to different cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
In a follow-up tweet, Ramesh said the real evacuation was done by Indian Embassy in Sudan at Khartoum, who arranged buses from Khartoum to Port Sudan. Basically, he tried to create a divide between the Indian agencies and security forces that worked together to bring back Indians from Sudan.
Yes. The real evacuation was done at Khartoum by the @EoI_Khartoum who arranged 100s of buses from Khartoum to Port Sudan. It was not easy and safe either. Khartoum is the real war zone.
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) May 2, 2023
His tweet did not go well with netizens who schooled him for his thanklessness. Retired Major General Harsha Kakar said, “This is a rescue flight and not a trip to a holiday destination in a paid airline seat @warrierramesh. #OperationKaveri did not cost a penny to those rescued. Compared to your cheap comments, those who were flown home were elated and mentally at peace.”
I did not say anything against the government, let alone being abusive or thankless. It was an FYI to fellow citizens urging them to be empathetic towards them. Instead of being sorry you all, assumed that I was being thankless and went on abusing me! Wow! Read my tweet again.
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) May 2, 2023
Replying to Retd Maj Gen Kakar, Ramesh claimed he was not criticising govt. He said, “I did not say anything against the government, let alone being abusive or thankless. It was an FYI to fellow citizens, urging them to be empathetic towards them. Instead of being sorry, you all assumed that I was being thankless and went on abusing me! Wow! Read my tweet again.”
Though he claimed he was not the criticising government, in reply to another tweet where a Twitter user had said, “It’s better to evacuate without ac rather than leaving behind people to suffer”, Ramesh clearly said Jeddah was not a war zone, and it would have been acceptable if the rescue was done from a war zone.
Yes. If it was a war zone. Jeddah was not.
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) May 2, 2023
His tweet was part of a shared thread about the rescue operation. It was clear from the first tweet in the thread that he and his family left everything behind and travelled with one bag per person. The situation was so bad in Sudan at the time of rescue that they had to leave everything. In such a situation, seeking “AC” was what Ramesh did.
normalise and my organization will be ship it to me. Not perfect but safe. Waiting to get evacuated. Bus-Khartoum to Port Sudan two days
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) April 23, 2023
Ship-Port Sudan to Jeddah one day
Jeddah to India by air
This is just the travel time.
What is the waiting time, no idea!
Was it mentioned he went to Bengaluru in a charted plane from Kerala?
Tomorrow morning by a chartered aircraft to Bangalore.
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) April 27, 2023
In another tweet, he appeared disappointed for not getting the free food being offered by Lulu as some “uncivilised” passengers before he took extra food.
As it happened yesterday for lunch, whoever came first took more than one packet and those who followed a civilized process like me and my family could get none. 😂
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) April 28, 2023
Yesterday we managed to get food thanks to Lulu who got addl supplies.
Bharatiya sanskruti display full-on mode. pic.twitter.com/anWUCELWfa
While checking Ramesh’s Twitter timeline, some interesting facts came to the fore. He had retweeted Mahua Moitra Fans’ tweet where it was claimed PM Modi spent Rs 8,400 crores on planes that he “gifted himself”. The planes were brought for the Prime Minister, President and Vice President. They were not meant just for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The planes will also serve the next PM, when and whoever that will be after PM Modi’s tenure ends.
He also RTed a tweet by one MeloSpeaking where the Twitter user called beef the “national food” of India.
There were many tweets that Ramesh RTed or posted that clearly showed his political inclination. One may wonder what could be the reason for targeting the rescue operation that he himself used to escape war-hit Sudan.
After a lot of backlash, he had thanked MEA for the rescue.
However, I must applaud the Ambassador Mr BS Mubarak and his team @EoI_Khartoum for ensuring every Indian reached Port Sudan as well as the Indian government @DrSJaishankar and his team for taking care of us from there. Most embassies left this citizens to fend for themselves.
— Ramesh RADHAKRISHNAN (@warrierramesh) May 1, 2023
Propaganda against govt during rescue operation in Ukraine
This is not the first time claims of mistreatment came to the fore from those who were rescued from a war-hit zone. When Indians were rescued from Ukraine under Operation Ganga, several reports suggested similar incidents but were later debunked.
A video of an Indian girl student, evacuated from Ukraine, crying and lashing out at the government for not making proper arrangements to bring back stranded students in Ukraine, had gone viral on the social media platform. Later, the girl released a video statement making a U-turn and accused the media of twisting her statements.
Several people accused ‘journalist’ Samriddhi K Sakunia of creating hysteria and peddling anti-government agenda to undermine evacuation. She had joined the Telegram group of Team SOS India, a volunteer-driven initiative that aims to help the needy in times of distress. Until then, Sakunia had been actively fanning the narrative that the Modi government was not doing anything for the evacuation of stranded Indian students.
She clarified her intention while soliciting anti-government comments from students and their family members. Sakunia wrote, “Hello, guys. This is Samriddhi Sakunia, a journalist based in Delhi. First of all, so sorry for whatever you all are going through. And I really hope you all are safe and wish that government comes in rescue.”
One Aswin Kumar intervened and questioned the ‘journalist’ for using the stranded students’ crisis and distress to peddle her anti-government agenda. “So, you want your anti-government agenda even in a group where everyone is in panic and stressed about the safety of their loved ones?” he inquired. Sakunia was caught off guard. In her defence, she claimed, “Absolutely not. You got it all wrong, mate. I am trying to voice your opinion.” Several users on the Telegram group joined Aswin Kumar and reprimanded Samriddhi K Sakunia for using the plight of the distressed students as a political opportunity.
