Coronavirus: Indian missions in UAE deny seeking data of stranded citizens for repatriation
Missions alert expats about messages citing advisory seeking details of stranded Indians
Abu Dhabi/Dubai: The Indian missions in the UAE have denied issuing any advisory seeking details of stranded Indians wishing to be repatriated.
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai took to Twitter to alert Indians that no such advisory has been issued asking stranded Indians to send their personal particulars to the missions.
“It has come to our notice that a message is being circulated on social media asking Indians stranded in the UAE to send their personal particulars to various email IDs of the Indian Embassy. Please note no such message has been sent by the Embassy,” the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi tweeted.
Meanwhile the Indian Consulate in Dubai in its tweet elaborated the categories of stranded people who were addressed in the fake messages.
“It has come to our notice about circulation of messages regarding details of visit visa holders, elders, jobless etc. to be sent to Indian Consulate Dubai for repatriation. CGI Dubai has not issued any such advisory. Indian nationals should take note of this,” the consulate stated.
When contacted, the Consul General of India in Dubai, Vipul, told Gulf News that the missions had not issued any advisory seeking registration of people who want to be repatriated because the government of India had not instructed the missions to do so.
“We do not wish to create unnecessary confusion among the members of the community,” Vipul said.
Though the Consul General said the missions were noting the details of anyone who is contacting them on email or phone about their need to go back to India, he said the missions are currently not in a position to announce anything related to resumption of flight services in India.
Aggrieved Indians question missions
Some aggrieved Indians, who wish to be flown back home, questioned the announcements made by the missions in reply to their tweets.
“When will [you] start a procedure to collect the details [of] all such people having serious and genuine reasons to go back to India? It is not at all fair for India to take such a unilateral decision to insist their people to stay back in a foreign country without job and salary,” one such person tweeted.
Responding to such comments, the Consul General said:
“We can understand the concerns of stranded people. However, all international flights to India have been suspended till May 3. We shall notify our people about resumption of flight services as and when the government announces it.”
Addressing concerns
He added that the missions continue to address requests for help from Indians facing emergency situations through emails and helplines.
Apart from providing food and medicines to the needy, the missions have started tele-medicine services related to COVID-19.
The consulate has received a huge response to its telemedicine consultation and counselling through the numbers 054 3090 571 and 054 3090 572 since the launch of the service in tie-up with on Monday.
Meanwhile, the embassy, which began the service earlier, has already provided tele-counselling services to more than 500 Indians.
“Need help with tele-counselling in these stressful times? Over 500 Indians in Abu Dhabi have already availed of the Embassy’s special service manned by Indian doctors! Write to ca.abudhabi@mea.gov.in,” the Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor tweeted.