Govt working tirelessly to bring back Indians stuck in Ukraine: Modi

Asserting that in difficult times India has given priority to the lives of its natives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the government is working tirelessly to bring back all citizens stuck in Ukraine.

Addressing an election rally in Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Modi pointed to the turmoil prevailing in the world and pitched for strengthening the country by making it "atmanirbhar" (self-reliant).

He also targeted his political opponents for making the country "nirbhar" (dependent) on foreign countries earlier for defence items.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. With the Ukrainian airspace being closed for civil aircraft operations, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Romanian capital Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest.

It is time to rise above barriers of caste and religion and strengthen the country by making it "atmanirbhar", he told the rally.

"The previous governments led by dynasts kept India dependent (nirbhar) on foreign countries for its defence needs, but now the priority is "atmanirbhar", he said.

There is a difference between "rashtra bhakti" (devotion to nation) and "pariwar bhakti" (devotion to family), he said taking a swipe at his rivals.

The country celebrated three years of the Balakot air strike on February 26, but dynasts had sought proof of it then, he said.

India carried out the air strike on terrorist launch pads, days after the Pulwama terror attack in which around 40 security forces personnel were killed in 2019.

The prime minister also remembered freedom fighter Chandrasekhar Azad on his martyrdom day. He died on this date in 1931.

He was addressing an election rally in Basti where BJP candidates from Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddarthnagar and Ambedkarnagar were also present.

These areas will vote in the sixth phase on March 3.

"In difficult times India has given priority to the lives of every Indian. We have left no stone unturned to rescue our people. Operation Ganga is underway to bring our sons and daughters back to India from Ukraine," the prime minister said.

"In these tough times it is essential to make the country strong. The people who have been involved in arms deals cannot strengthen the country. The dynasts who support terrorism cannot strength the country," Modi said while taking a swipe at the rivals.

With the elections in politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh reaching its fifth phase on Sunday, Modi came down hard on the opponents.

"Dynasts want the money in their lockers, constitution in their pocket and poor at their feet," he said.

Continuing with his tirade against the opposition parties, he said, "The previous governments focused on foreign products for their cut and commission. They made our armies dependent on foreign companies and destroyed the defence industry. But we are now making a defence corridor in Uttar Pradesh."

Talking about crude oil, he said that India doesn't have wells of oil and imports crude oil in large amounts.

"The previous governments didn't focus on ethanol as fuel that can be produced from sugarcane. We are developing infrastructure to produce ethanol and biogas from cattle dung. We are also trying to become self-reliant in edible oils. For this the government is buying oil seeds from farmers."

In an apparent dig at the Samajwadi Party, Modi said that they were with a party in 2017 and another party in 2019 and added "those who cannot stay with their friends can never stand with the people of the state".

The SP had an alliance with the Congress in 2017 assembly polls and the Bahujan Samaj Party in 2019 parliamentary elections.

For 2022 state polls it has entered into alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal and a string of caste-based regional parties.

Without taking names, the prime minister alleged that the dynasts usurped crores of money which could have been used to build schools and bring development in the state.