Rahul Gandhi shocked, expresses grief at the murder of 39 Indians in Iraq
New Delhi, Mar 20 (IBNS): Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday expressed his shock at the murder of 39 Indians, who were in captivity of ISIS terrorists in Iraq.
"I’m shocked to hear that 39 Indians who were in captivity since 2014, in Iraq, are now confirmed dead," Gandhi tweeted.
"My deepest condolences to the families of those who have lived in hope, that their loved ones will return unharmed. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you today," he said.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj informed the Rajya Sabha that 39 Indians, who had gone missing in Iraqi town Mosul in 2014, have actually been killed by ISIS terrorists.
She said DNA taken from the bodies of the victims matched those who went missing.
Swaraj said Union Minister of State V K Singh will go to Iraq to bring back the bodies back home.
Swaraj, however, could not make a statement on the subject in the Lok Sabha because of continuous ruckus created by opposition members.
The Minister later gave some details while briefing the press.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condemned the massacre and said she is " deeply saddened and shocked with the very sad news."
"Words are not enough to console the 39 grieving families. Our thoughts and prayers with them," she tweeted.
Conveying condolences to the bereaved families, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "We are with their families in this painful & sad time. It is our demand that they should be given financial assistance by central & state govt & also employment in govt. service."
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh said he was "shattered at the heart-wrenching news" that 39 Indians, kidnapped by the Islamic State, had been killed in Iraq.
His Congress colleague Partap Singh Bajwa and Aam Aadmi Party's Kanwar Sandhu also expressed their grief and targeted External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for "misleading" the families of those who had died. Sandhu also asked for the minister's resignation.
Congress leader Shahsi Tharoor, speaking to media persons outside Parliament, said that the Government has mishandled a very sensitive issue. "Why did the government still kept saying with such conviction that those people were alive," Tharoor asked.
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