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PM Modi Thanks Poland For Evacuation Of Indians From Ukraine
What has happened?
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday, PMO said.
- As Poland has been playing a significant role in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, PM Modi expressed his gratitude for the assistance being provided by the Polish government.
- PM Modi thanked his Polish Excellency for relaxing visa requirements for Indian citizens crossing over to Poland from Ukraine.
- The evacuation of Indians through the Poland border, which the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had acknowledged as a “problem area”, Has made some headway with close to 2,000 people, mainly students, crossing over by noon on Tuesday.
- Adam Burakowski, Ambassador of Poland to India, told The Indian Express that roughly 1,700 Indians had safely made it to Poland till 7am (Polish time).
- “We have received almost four-lakh people already. Poland is ready to receive anybody and any number of people trying to escape Russian aggression. We don’t look at nationality,” he added.
- However, hundreds of Indian students are still stranded in freezing temperatures, especially at the Shehyni-Medyka border checkpoint.
- Many have alleged discrimination by Ukranian and Polish border forces. Burakowski outrightly denied any discrimination by his country.
- “This is absolutely fake. We don’t make any discrimination. We receive everybody who comes. We have also allowed Indians to enter without a visa,” he said.
Logistical problem
- However, the Ambassador also acknowledged that there were “logistical problems” in evacuating a large number of people.
- “The situation on the ground is that there are lakhs of people waiting. Border police of both countries (Ukraine and Poland) are doing everything possible to help.
- But it’s such a big crowd. You can’t tell one-lakh people to cross over in five minutes. Yes, the waiting time is quite long, but we are doing everything we can,” said Burakowski.
How India helped Polish during WW2?
- In 1941, When World War II broke out, a large number of Polish people were packed and drawn as labour in Soviet Russia after the Red Army invaded Poland.
- When Germany attacked USSR and the British recognised Poland as a nation, some Polish refugees in Soviet Russia successfully fled to many parts of the world freeing from the Russian operation.
- During a long journey of thousands of kilometres in the warmer areas of the global south, many Polish children were left undernourished and dehydrated, while many of them lost their lives.
Refused by many countries
- After being refused by many landlocked countries over the shelter, a flock of over a thousand children arrived in India through the passage of Iran and Afghanistan.
- This time too they were denied permission in Bombay by the then British Governor.
- Realising the brevity of the situation, the Polish Consulate in Bombay launched a public awareness campaign in India about the plight of Jewish refugees in Europe and started to work behind the scenes to arrange for these Polish orphans from Siberia to travel to India.
Maharaja of Nawanagar
- A ray of rope came from the princely state of Nawanagar from where the Maharaja had heard the plight of Polish refugees.
- His conviction to help the refugees from Poland was such that he fought with the British Government and pressured them to allow him to grant refuge to the Polish children.
- It was Maharaja Digvijaysinghji Ranjitsinghji Jadeja, a newly knighted ruler from the small state of Nawanagar in Gujarat who opened his doors and his heart to the unsettled Polish people.
- Soon arrangments were made for the refugees to board a ship that was landed in the Rosi port in his province.
- The flock of around a thousand Polish orphans between 2 to 17 years of age entered Navnagar and a camp for them was established at Balachadi.
- To many of the children who lost their parents in the World War, this Maharaja from Gujarat became their ‘Bapu’.
- “You may have not have your parents, but I am your father now,” Maharaja Jadeja said while welcoming his new guests to his state.
- Soon, efforts were made to take care of their bare necessities and the Maharaja went ahead to take care that their Polish sensibilities were being preserved.
- When a group of children complained about the spicy Indian food which they were not accustomed to, Maharaja hired seven Polish chefs to cook for the children.
- Permanent dormitories were constructed for the children wherein they enjoyed their own space, food and medical care.
Impact
- Today, the legacy of Maharaja Jadeja is resonating on the brink of the Russia-Ukraine tussle, which is touted to be the prelude to a probable world war.
- When Indian students were stuck in crisis-hit Ukraine, the Polish administration allowed Indian nationals to enter their territory who were fleeing from war-torn Ukraine.
- While India has launched Operation Ganga to rescue Indian students from the neighbouring countries of Ukraine, visuals of Indians being taken care of by the Polish administration made their way to the media.
Q) Which among the following is the 2nd largest country in Europe?
- Spain
- France
- Ukraine
- Germany
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