New Delhi: Two Indian couples stranded in New Zealand by the Covid-19 lockdown have requested the Modi government to arrange for their return home.
In an email dated 21 April that is addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian High Commission in Wellington, the Jaipur residents have cited mounting expenses to seek repatriation help.
The couples have identified themselves as Pradeep Loiwal, a retired carpet exports businessman, and his homemaker wife Nikita Loiwal, and Sudhir Raniwala and Rashmi Raniwala, both of whom are physics professors at the University of Rajasthan.
They arrived in New Zealand on 8 March for a vacation, but their plans to return on 27 March were scuppered by the lockdown and the suspension of operations by commercial airlines. According to the couples, there are another 1,000 Indians stranded on the island nation.
“None of us have the resources to continue staying here for extended periods,” states the letter, accessed by ThePrint. They add that New Zealand “is an expensive country” and “we all have our personal and professional responsibilities back in India”.
The couples say they didn’t have the time to try and “prepone their departure” for India because international flights were stopped at short notice.
Also Read: India’s VIP culture is on full display even in Modi’s ‘stringent’ lockdown
‘We are infection-free’
Thousands of Indians, including students, are believed to be stranded across different countries, especially the US, the UK, Europe and the Gulf, amid travel restrictions imposed to check the coronavirus pandemic.
India initially organised rescue flights for its citizens from Iran and Italy, but, in recent weeks, the battle against the pandemic has been concentrated within the country’s borders.
The matter of stranded Indians’ repatriation was taken to court but, hearing the case last week, the Supreme Court agreed with the government that such an initiative was not feasible as of now. The government had argued in its affidavit to the court that it had evacuated citizens earlier when the Covid-19 situation in India wasn’t as grim.
However, in their letter, the couples seek to reassure the government that they are free of infection. “New Zealand has been under lockdown for the past four weeks and has successfully controlled the spread of coronavirus here. We have been in isolation since the lockdown was imposed here (26 March 2020). All the stranded Indians here will therefore be Covid-19-infection free,” the letter states, adding that they may still be tested.
The couples point out that New Zealand is arranging special flights to India to repatriate Kiwis stuck in the nation, and requests New Delhi to arrive at a similar arrangement with Wellington for their return.
“New Zealand will be sending empty aircraft from here to airlift the citizens from India. It would be great if the government of India and government of New Zealand could come to a bilateral arrangement, whereby on one side the Indians could be repatriated and on the other, the New Zealnders,” states the letter.
The couples say they have been in touch with the Indian High Commission in New Zealand since 23 March.
Citing the example of flag carrier Air India, which has announced that it will not start any international flight until 1 June, and the lack of clarity regarding the resumption of operations by other commercial flights, they say their only hope of returning to their country at an early date is repatriation by the Indian government.
The letter also refers to other letters to the MEA. “The replies just say that at present there is no plan of the government to repatriate Indians from New Zealand and we should remain in touch with the high commission.”
New Zealand has so far recorded just over 1,100 cases of Covid-19 and 13 deaths, according to WHO figures for 21 April.
Also Read: India announced lockdown the same time as South Africa but has over 7 times new cases since
We are also stranded in Europe ..very expensive staying here 3k everyday expenses ..no business no work back in country..I have to get back home ..Embassy must help in providing accommodations expenses..
Or Avail any evacuation plan..
What the hell these people were doing earlier. They want to enjoy their vacation to their fullest and then request the govt to arilift them.
They could have abandoned their vacation in the middle and could have flown back to India (as many people from other nations did) but these guys were simply ignorant.
Let them stay and pay for their negligence