Durai Vaiko requests PM to facilitate return of Indians forcibly conscripted by Russian Army

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MDMK MP Durai Vaiko on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and requested him to take steps to bring back a Tamil Nadu native Kishor Saravanan, who was forcibly conscripted by the Russian Army to fight in the war against Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he said he had submitted a memorandum signed by 68 MPs from 15 political parties to draw the Prime Minister’s attention to the issue.

“It is not just Kishor Saravanan, but hundreds of Indians who have been subjected to physical and mental torture, and forced to fight in the war against Ukraine. The MPs also said some people from their State were in Russia and facing uncertainty,” he said.

Mr. Durai Vaiko said: “The Prime Minister told me that the Indian government had taken up the issue with the Russian government. I said since India had signed an agreement with Russia, we should urge the Russian government to honour it and send back the Indians.”

The Prime Minister has urged his secretary to take up the issue through the Ministry of External Affairs, and collect more information from Mr. Durai Vaiko.

Mr. Durai Vaiko said Kishor Saravanan was tortured and drugged before being enrolled for military training. “He has spoken to his parents and informed them about the Russian Army’s decision to send him to the front to fight the Ukrainian Army. He is being kept near the Russia-Ukraine border and cannot return once he is sent to fight. It is like a suicide mission,” said Mr. Durai Vaiko, who also met Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Mr. Misri told Mr. Durai Vaiko that he had spoken to the Russian Ambassador to facilitate the return of Kishor Saravanan and others to India.