Over 50,000 Indians repatriated from Oman since May due to COVID-19: report
Dubai: More than 50,000 Indians living in Oman have been flown home on repatriation and chartered flights in the last three months after the oil-rich Gulf nation was hit by the coronavirus outbreak, a media report said on Monday.
Since May, when the cases of coronavirus in Oman started surging, a total of 198 chartered planes were arranged by companies and social organisations in Oman, taking home 35,000 Indian nationals, the Times of Oman reported, citing a statement from the Indian Embassy in Muscat.
Additionally, the Vande Bharat repatriation mission organised by the Government of India has seen another 17,000 Indians fly home on 97 flights, the statement said.
Anuj Swarup, the Second Secretary at Indian Embassy in Oman, said the Vande Bharat Mission from Oman that started on May 9 has operated till date a total 105 flights, enabling thousands of Indian nationals to return to India, according to the Gulf News, a UAE-based newspaper.
Swarup said the Indian government has planned Phase 5 of the Vande Bharat Mission in the coming days.
As we glide into Phase 5 of Vande Bharat Mission, a total 19 flights have been scheduled in the first half of August to various Indian states. Flights have been scheduled as per the registrations received by the Embassy and we will continue to facilitate travel of Indian nationals, Swarup said.
Oman, which so far has reported 79,159 infections and reported 422 deaths due to the disease, also saw its economy hit by the pandemic, causing a large number of job losses.
More than nine million Indians work and live in the Gulf region. In Oman, they constitute the largest expatriate community.
There are about 7,70,000 Indians in Oman, of which about 6,55,000 are workers and professionals. Thousands of Indians are working as doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, teachers, lecturers, nurses and other professionals, according to the Indian Embassy in Oman.
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Priyanka Gandhi wins Wayanad LS seat in Kerala with margin of over 4.1 lakh votes
Wayanad(Kerala), Nov 23: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday cruised to her maiden electoral victory, from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, with a margin of over 4.1 lakh votes against CPI(M)-led LDF's Sathyan Mokeri, according to figures released by the Election Commission.
Priyanka got 6,22,338 votes which was less than the 6,47,445 votes received by her brother Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha polls in Wayanad in April this year, but her victory margin of 4,10,931 was more than his lead of 3,64,422 votes, despite the decline in turnout in the Wayanad bypoll.
The LS poll turnout in Wayanad, which has over 14 lakh registered voters, was close to 74 per cent in April, but had declined to 65 per cent in the by-election in November.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Wayanad, CPI's Annie Raja had secured second place with 2,83,023 votes, while BJP's K. Surendran finished third with 1,41,045 votes.
However, both fronts were unable to replicate their performance in the bypoll, despite a reduced voter turnout in the hill constituency.
Mokeri got 2,11,407 and BJP-led NDA's Navya Haridas came third with 1,09,939 votes.
Close to the announcement of the final counting results, Priyanka, in a post on social media platform X, thanked the people of Wayanad for electing her as their representative to the Parliament.
"My dearest sisters and brothers of Wayanad, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me. I will make sure that over time, you truly feel this victory has been your victory and the person you chose to represent you understands your hopes and dreams and fights for you as one of your own. I look forward to being your voice in Parliament!
"Thank you for giving me this honour and even more for the immense love you have given me," she said.
In her post, Priyanka also thanked her colleagues in the UDF, leaders from across Kerala, workers, volunteers and everyone else who supported her and worked "incredibly hard" in her poll campaign, by "tolerating" her "12 hour a day (no food, no rest) car journeys, and for fighting like true soldiers for the ideals we all believe in".
"To my mother, Robert and my two jewels- Raihan and Miraya, no gratitude is ever enough for the love and courage you give me. And to my brother, Rahul, you are the bravest of them all… thank you for showing me the way and having my back, always," she said in her post on X.
My dearest sisters and brothers of Wayanad,
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) November 23, 2024
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me. I will make sure that over time, you truly feel this victory has been your victory and the person you chose to represent you understands your hopes and dreams and…
