18 Indians remain in Russian armed forces, 16 reported as 'missing': Govt
New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI): Eighteen Indian nationals remain in the Russian armed forces, of whom 16 have been "reported as missing" by the Russian side, the government informed Parliament on Thursday.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha also shared the state-wise domicile of the 18 Indians, saying nine of them were from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Punjab and Haryana, and one each from Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir.
In response to another query, Singh said 12 Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces were "reported to have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict."
"Our Missions and Posts accord high priority to the safety, security and well-being of all Indian nationals abroad and take appropriate action, as and when any request for assistance is received," he said.
The government was asked the details of the number of Indian youths still stranded in Russia and serving in their Army, and the kind of steps taken by the MEA and the Indian Embassy in Russia to repatriate them.
"As per available information, 18 Indian nationals remain in the Russian armed forces out of which 16 individuals have been reported as missing by the Russian side," he said.
The Russian authorities have been requested to provide an update on the remaining Indians in the Russian armed forces, and also to ensure their safety, wellbeing and early discharge, he said.
"The Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Moscow have engaged with the relevant Russian authorities at various levels on these issues. The Indian Mission/Posts in Russia have earlier assisted Indian nationals in their return to India, following the discontinuation of their service in the Russian armed forces, including through the facilitation of travel documents and providing air tickets wherever required," the Union minister said.
He also shared the state-wise distribution of the 97 Indian nationals whose service in the Russian armed forces has been discontinued.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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