Around 30 students hailing from Karnataka safely evacuated from Ukraine: Govt
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Sunday said around 30 students hailing from the state have been safely evacuated from war-torn Ukraine.
According to the data available with the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), based on the submissions it has received so far, about 397 people were stranded in Ukraine with 129 among them from Bengaluru.
"The Embassy of India, Kyiv, has started evacuation of stranded Indian nationals from Ukraine. The evacuation flights operating under Operation Ganga have started evacuating stranded Indian citizens in Ukraine through bordering countries, ie., Romania, Budapest, Bucharest, etc. Around 30 students hailing from Karnataka have been safely evacuated," Nodal Officer and Commissioner of KSDMA Manoj Rajan said in a statement.
The first batch of 12 students reached Bengaluru International Airport from Mumbai at 8.40 am today.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, state Revenue Minister R Ashoka and nodal officer Rajan received the arriving students at the airport here.
According to the statement, the second batch of 13 students, and a third batch of five students hailing from the state have reached Delhi and will reach Bengaluru later tonight, it said. They have been accommodated in Karnataka Bhavan.
"Overall, 30 students will reach Bengaluru today," the statement added.
Expressing joy over her safe return, a woman student said: "They have brought us safely - Indian government, Indian Embassy, Karnataka government. They arranged flight tickets for us. Hope other students stranded in Ukraine too return safely. Though there was fear, the Embassy assured us a safe return."
Another student said, "We were evacuated through Romania border, as we were in western part of Ukraine, but don't know how authorities will evacuate those stranded in other parts like Kyiv."
Expressing worry about friends back in places like Kyiv and Kharkiv, another student said, "They are actually in crisis as they hear bombing very often and are taking shelter in bunkers. Most of them are short of basic things like food and water."
Noting that authorities are facilitating the travel of students hailing from Karnataka to their respective destinations, the statement said the local tickets from Delhi and Mumbai to Bengaluru will be borne by the state government.
The Nodal Officer and his team are in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to evacuate the remaining stranded students from Ukraine, it said.
The state government has opened a facilitation centre at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, to coordinate and support stranded students hailing from Karnataka, who are arriving there.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
