Due to coronavirus pandemic, the nation was in 2 month long lockdown in which the domestic and international flights were shut. Hundreds of Indians continue to be stuck in Taiwan, who virtually have no way of getting home. They have tried to contact the India Taipei Association, the de facto Indian Embassy in Taiwan, but they haven’t received a satisfactory response so far.
Jitendra Singh, one of the students stranded in Taiwan told Newsd that he went there for short term course and now it’s been more than one and a half moth that his course is completed but due to coronavirus lockdown he was not able to get back to India.
@narendramodi @PMOIndia @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia @MoCA_GoI @HardeepSPuri @airindiain
Respected Sir!
We are around 100+ #IndianNationals who are #stranded in #Taiwan since the #lockdown.
some of us are #students, #intern, #patients, #Travelers and more. we need your #help.— Indians Stranded In Taiwan (@IndiansInTaiwan) June 10, 2020
He further said that the student’s visa has been extended and many of the organization has asked students to evacuate the hostel and due to which they were staying in Hotels.
He added to it that Taiwan is an expensive country and many students can’t afford to live in Hotels for longer time now thus they are urging for help.
Video by @jitenderkhalsa to @PMOIndia @narendramodi @AmitShah @DrSJaishankar @HardeepSPuri @MoCA_GoI
Please listen to our prayers ?
Help us , please rescue us. pic.twitter.com/DdhaW0E7DV— Indians Stranded In Taiwan (@IndiansInTaiwan) June 15, 2020
“The cost of living in Taipei is quite high. Even if we keep our expenses to the minimum, it costs us at least Rs 25,000,” the another student said.
Expatriates have tried to send proposals to hire private chartered flights to the embassy, but to no avail. Taiwan, which has managed to contain Covid-19, is allowing flights only to countries it deems “safe”.
It is unlikely India will make it to this list. Until then, expatriates are hoping for the Vande Bharat Mission to help them.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Gupta has also written a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the appeal of the students. However, the students have so far not received any assurance from the Ministry of External Affairs or the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Newsd also tried to contact the Indian Embassy in Taiwan in this regard. But no response has been received so far.
As now the country is entering the phase of Unlock-1, the resumption of domestic flights is on but still the international flights are shut.
The Indian govt started the initiative of Vande Bharat Mission in which more than 2.5 lakh stranded people were brought back to the country
Under the Vande Bharat Mission, more than 2.5 lakh people have arrived in three phase so far, out of which 21 per cent are migrant workers. More than 75,000 people have returned through immigration posts on the road to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. More than 57 thousand Indians have also returned from chartered aircraft.
The External Affairs Ministry said that under the Vande Bharat Mission, more than 4.5 lakh Indians stranded abroad have registered to return home on the basis of compelling reasons. Out of which 2.5 lakh have come.
