Shattered at death of 39 Indians, says Punjab CM

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said that he is shattered at the death of 39 Indians in Iraq. He reacted soon after external affairs minister Sushma Sawaraj informed the Parliament that the 39 Indians abducted by the Islamic State in Iraq in 2014 are dead.

In a tweet, Capt. Singh said, “Shattered at the heart-wrenching news from Sushma Swaraj that the 39 Indians missing in Iraq, most of whom were Punjabis, are dead. My heart goes out to the families who had been living in hope since their reported abduction by ISIS in 2014. Prayers with all of them.”

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa added that he was saddened by the news confirming the deaths of those missing in Iraq and his thoughts and prayers are with their families. “Why did Sushma Swaraj mislead the families for more than three years. This is complete failure of MEA & GOI,” he tweeted.

“I raised this issue many times in Rajya Sabha that why was the government playing with emotions of families by giving them false hopes. Can there be anything more shameful than this?” Mr Bajwa added.

Mr Bajwa appealed to the government of India and Punjab to provide all possible help and financial aid to the families.

AAP leader and Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu demanded the resignation of Union minister Swaraj.

Meanwhile, reacting to Ms Swaraj’s statement, Harjit Masih, the lone survivor and one of the 40 Indian workers taken hostage by ISIS, on Tuesday said that he was feeling vindicated after the minister’s statement in Parliament, confirming the killing of all 39 abducted Indians.

Masih, who belongs to Gurdaspur, had managed to escape and claimed to have witnessed the massacre of the remaining 39 Indians. However, the Indian government had rejected his claims.