Sushma Swaraj ‘Misled’ Kin of 39 ‘Missing Indians’ in Iraq: Cong

While it was not immediately known when the Indians were killed, their bodies were recovered from Badush in Iraq.

Sushma Swaraj and Randeep Surjewala

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The government and the Ministry of External Affairs has come under heavy fire from the opposition for announcing that the ‘missing’ 39 Indians in Iraq are dead, and that their bodies have been recovered.

The Congress alleged that the families of the deceased had been ‘misled’ by the government for years, by keeping them hopeful on the issue.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that Swaraj has been misleading the Parliament and the families of the victims.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi expressed shock over the news of the confirmed death of the 39 Indians who were held captive by the Islamic State in 2014.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, apart from expressing grief, said that his colleagues in the Ministry of External Affairs left no stone unturned in trying to trace the 39 Indians.

Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, also expressed his condolences while stating that most of the deceased were from his state. He also sent out prayers for the families that had been kept hopeful since 2014.

Singh later wrote a letter to Sushma Swaraj, asking the centre to help with the assistance Punjab government had allotted for the families.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a series of tweets, said that using Parliament as an excuse for the families of 39 dead Indians having to learn of their heartbreaking loss from TV channels is unpardonable.

He also said that someone from the ministry should have spoken to each of the 39 families before making the news public.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also asked why the government had to mislead the families and give them false hope.

This is saddening for every Indian, rest I would ask why was this information delayed by the government, they should tell how it happened, when they died. Also, the way government gave high hopes to the families was not right.

Shashi Tharoor, MP

However, Union Food Processing Minister and Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal defended the government and accused the opposition leaders of playing politics over an unfortunate incident.

Do you not think that it is the job of the government and especially the external affairs ministry to carry on looking for even one proof, even one person being alive until the all doors have been shut?

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Food Processing Minister

Defending External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Badal said the former “carried on the fight” trying to look for those who had been kidnapped.

“She (Swaraj) went to the extent of having DNA sent over there and had proper proof that yes they are dead. She stood up in the Parliament and said yes I tried but I could not and today we have proof,” the minister further told reporters.

Badal also tweeted her condolences for the families.

Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also condoled the families, asking the government to take care of them.

RJD leader and the leader of opposition in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav too expressed shock over the incident. He also questioned the Modi government for misleading the families for the past few years.