Latest news with #KishorSaravanan
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Durai Vaiko requests PM to facilitate return of Indians forcibly conscripted by Russian Army
: 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.
The Hindu
02-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Indians have been forcibly enlisted for war against Ukraine, says Durai Vaiko
MDMK MP Durai Vaiko on Friday (August 1, 2025) accused the Russian government of forcibly inducting Indians in the war against Ukraine, stating that their lives were in danger. 'Already 12 Indians have lost their lives in the war, and 16 persons have disappeared,' said Mr. Durai Vaiko, who raised in Parliament the case of Kishor Saravanan, a youth from Cuddalore. 'Kishor Saravanan was forced to undergo military training and was drugged. He may soon be sent to the war front to fight the Ukrainian army. We may lose him in the fighting,' he said. He pointed out that according to data from the Ministry of External Affairs, 126 Indians were forced to fight in the war. 'They went to the country either to study — particularly medicine — or in search of jobs. They were forced to sign citizenship forms and were conscripted. This is official. Unofficially, many more are serving in the Russian Army. They are not just from Tamil Nadu, but from many parts of India,' he said. Mr. Durai Vaiko said he had brought the issue to the attention of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. 'Mr. Misri told me the files have been sent to the Home Ministry,' he said. The parents of Mr. Saravanan, meanwhile, said like many parents in the country, they had sent their son to Russia to study medicine. 'We sold our land and sent him to study... But now, he is being forced to fight in the war,' they said.
