Operation Sagar Bandhu: Two IAF transport aircraft deliver aid, INS Sukanya on way to Sri Lanka
New Delhi (PTI): Two transport aircraft of the IAF – C-130J and IL-76 – delivered nearly 21 tonnes of relief material in Colombo on Saturday as part of India's humanitarian assistance extended to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched to assist the island nation in its hour of crisis in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah.
Also, INS Sukanya, carrying more humanitarian aid, has left Visakhapatnam and is expected to reach Sri Lanka soon, officials said.
“A C-130J transport aircraft carrying approximately 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, and ready-to-eat food items, landed in Colombo today morning,” a senior official said on Saturday.
An IL-76 aircraft carrying 9 tonnes of relief material, 80 NDRF personnel, four canines, and 8 tonnes of NDRF HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief) equipment also landed in Colombo on Saturday morning, the official added.
Besides, two Chetak helicopters from the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant are participating in the search and rescue operations with Sri Lanka Air Force personnel on board, they said.
In the latest update issued by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in Colombo, the death toll in Sri Lanka stood at 132, with 176 missing over the last four days as Cyclone Ditwah exited the country on Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction and widespread damage to infrastructure.
Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, the first tranche of relief material was handed out after the consignments were transported by INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri.
More than 43,900 people from 12,313 families have been hit by the extreme weather conditions, according to Sri Lankan authorities. India has provided 4.5 tonnes of dry ration, two tonnes of fresh ration, and other essential relief items from INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri to assist the affected families, the officials said.
Also, the Indian High Commission in Colombo is assisting the stranded Indian passengers at the Bandaranaike International Airport there.
In the wake of severe air traffic disruptions, Indian passengers facing difficulties are being provided food, water and other assistance, the officials said.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Air Force (IAF) posted photos of the transport aircraft being deployed under the operation on X.
"Operation Sagar Bandhu | Humanitarian Assistance. In the wake of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah across Sri Lanka, India swiftly launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to bolster relief efforts,” the IAF said.
“The Indian Air Force promptly deployed one C-130 and one IL-76 from the Hindan Air Base on the night of November 28/29, airlifting 21 tonnes of relief material along with over 80 NDRF personnel and 8 tonnes of equipment to Colombo,” it added.
Essential ration and critical supplies have been delivered to support the affected communities, officials said earlier.
"Reaffirming the spirit of Neighbourhood First, India stands firmly with Sri Lanka in this hour of need," the IAF said.
In a post on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also shared an update on Operation Sagar Bandhu.
“Another @IAF_MCC IL-76 aircraft lands in Colombo with 9 Tonnes Relief Material, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Teams comprising 80 National Disaster Response Force Personnel," he said.
"A total of around 27 tonnes of relief material delivered by air and sea. More is on the way! #OperationSagarBandhu continues…," the minister added.
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Will not tolerate bias of Congress anymore: Muslim organisations of Karnataka slam party
Bengaluru: Representatives of leading Muslim organisations, associations and unions from across Karnataka have issued a strong and sharply worded joint statement, declaring that the Muslim community “will no longer tolerate” what they described as the biased attitude of the Congress party towards the community and its leaders.
The statement was issued by a wide group of leaders and organisations, including Maulana Syed Tanveer Hashmi, President, Muslim Muttahida Mahaz, Vijayapura; Abdul Khadeer Saheb, President, Shaheen Group of Educational Institutions, Bidar; Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Nadvi, President, Welfare of Humanity Foundation, Bengaluru; K. S. Mohammed Masood, President, The Muslim Central Committee, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District and former President of the State Minorities Commission; Haji Mohammed Hanif, General Secretary, The Muslim Central Committee, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District; Muhammad Maula, President, Udupi District Muslim Okkuta; Yaseen Malpe, Immediate Past President, Udupi District Muslim Okkuta; Maulana Abdul Raqeeb MJ Nadvi, General Secretary, Majlis E Islah Wa Tanzeem, Bhatkal; Ashraf Ali Basheer, Convenor, Muslim Voice of Karnataka, Hubballi; Dr Abdul Kareem, former President, Karnataka State Minorities Commission, Hubballi; K. Ashraf, President, Dakshina Kannada District Muslim Okkuta; Muhammad Hanif, Secretary, Dakshina Kannada District Muslim Okkuta; Maulana Abdul Azeez Darimi, Leader, Sunni Yuvajana Sangha Karnataka; Haji Abubakar Nejar, District President, Sunni Samyukta Jamaath, Udupi District; Mohammad Rafiq, District President, Karnataka Muslim Jamaath, Udupi District; Rafiuddin Kudroli, President, Uniwef Mangaluru; Kasim Shuaiburrahman Qureshi, President, All India Jamiatul Qureshi, Karnataka; Afzal Mahmood, Secretary, Karnataka Muslim Political Forum, Gulbarga; Jabbar Kalaburagi, President, Karnataka Muslim Unity, Bagalkote; Nisar Ahmed, State Coordinator, Eddelu Karnataka, Mangaluru; Naqwa Yahya Malpe, President, Namma Naada Okkoota, Udupi District; Afsar, President, Karnataka Souharda Okkoota, Mandya; Advocate Abdul Jabbar Gola, Vice President, Joint Action Committee, Gulbarga; Advocate Anshad Palya, State Committee Member, All India Lawyers Association, Karnataka and Leader, Hassan District Muslim Organisations Federation; Haji Suleiman Saheb, President, Thirthahalli Taluk Joint Muslim Federation; and Mujahid Pasha of Al Jamaatul Quraish Trust, Basavakalyan.
The organisations said the united support extended by Muslims in the state was the main reason for the Congress party coming to power. However, they alleged that the party and its government are not treating Muslims with dignity, and that there is growing anguish within the community over being repeatedly insulted by denial of proper representation in political appointments and key positions in the bureaucracy.
Referring to the Davangere by-election and recent developments, the statement said the Congress party appears to have sent a clear message to Muslims: “You are merely a vote bank for us. Your job is only to vote for the Congress party. Positions, status, representation and opportunities in the party are alms that we give. If you question your rights or the injustice done to you, disciplinary action will be taken.”
The organisations said this approach is unacceptable and warned that the community will no longer remain silent. They questioned the party’s disciplinary actions against certain Muslim leaders, asking what action had been taken in similar situations in the past involving others. “Otherwise, a serious question arises as to whether the party’s disciplinary rules are applicable only to one community,” the statement said.
Calling the issue one of dignity, the organisations said it is not just about a few individuals but concerns the entire Muslim community. They criticised the Congress for taking unilateral decisions without consulting religious and social leaders and said such actions cannot be justified as mere political decisions.
The statement also accused the party of portraying Muslims as being wrong for asking for fair representation. It said it is not fair to expect the community to campaign for the party without giving them tickets that should have been given fairly, and then initiate disciplinary action on what were described as trivial grounds. The organisations termed the attitude of “you should have simply obeyed what we said” as highly condemnable.
They also expressed concern over what they described as attempts by the party leadership to pit leaders of the Muslim community against each other. At the same time, the statement criticised certain leaders within the community for choosing to pursue personal interests instead of standing firmly against what it called discriminatory policies.
Drawing a comparison, the organisations said that when leaders from some communities commit even serious mistakes or make direct statements against the party, no action is taken and they are instead rewarded. “But if leaders from a particular community deviate even slightly from the party’s diktat, they are subjected to severe punishment this is not fair, this is not acceptable,” the statement said.
Warning of political consequences, the organisations said such discriminatory behaviour will harm the Congress party in the coming days and could lead to a serious setback. They said Muslims had supported the party to ensure a secular government based on constitutional values and to prevent divisive forces from gaining power. However, treating this support as a weakness and assuming that the community has no alternative would prove “politically very costly” for the party.
The organisations strongly condemned what they termed as mistreatment of the community in the name of political calculation and demanded that such unilateral decisions be stopped. They also called for the present decision to be reconsidered.
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