India working round the clock for safe evacuation of citizens stranded in Ukraine: PM Modi

Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India is working round the clock to ensure the safety and evacuation of the Indian citizens in conflict-ridden Ukraine.
Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur, PM Modi said that the Centre had earlier brought back Indian citizens struck across the world.
Referring to the massive evacuation program called "Vande Bharat Mission" when a huge number of Indians were brought back to India during the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Modi said, "Millions of our Indians were stranded all over the world during COVID. India helped every one of its citizens to come back by running Operation Vande Bharat. Thousands of Indians were trapped in the crisis in Afghanistan, so we carried out Operation Devi Shakti and rescued many Indians from there."
"India is working day and night to bring back every citizen, our students, trapped in the war. We have brought thousands of children safely from Ukraine by running 'Operation Ganga'," he added while elaborating about the efforts of the government in bringing back Indians safely from Ukraine amid Russia's military operations.
PM Modi said, "Indian planes are constantly flying to bring those still stuck there. The campaign is associated with Maa Ganga's name, I am sure that that campaign will be successful."
Centre under Operation Ganga is making all efforts to evacuate Indian nationals stuck in conflict-hit Ukraine.
According to MoS External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, over 9,000 citizens have been brought back to India from Ukraine so far.
Further, slamming the Samajwadi Party (SP) for dynastic politics, he said, "When these Pariwarwadis (SP) were in power, they used to put obstacles in whatever work we used to bring for the development of UP. These Pariwarwadis didn't let the poor, marginalised section progress."
"They (SP) have built only 800 houses for the poor in Mirzapur, but in the last five years our government has built 28,000 houses for people of Mirzapur," he added.
Yesterday, during the sixth phase of the assembly polls, political leaders from BJP and its alliance parties exuded confidence in winning over 300 seats.
A voter turnout of nearly 54 per cent was recorded in the sixth phase of polling yesterday. According to Election Commission data till 8 pm, the 57 seats which went for the polls in the sixth phase saw 53.96 per cent polling.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi will go to the polls on March 7. Varanasi district comprises Pindra, Ajagara, Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt, and Sevapuri Assembly seats.
A total of 54 Assembly seats across nine districts including Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra, will go to polls in the seventh and final phase.