Op Raahat : The Great Indian Rescue (Pictures and News)

panduranghari · Post by **panduranghari** » 08 Apr 2015 23:21

kmkraoind wrote:I just want GoI to prepare all types of contingencies and educate Indian citizens about respecting future notices. In the world of smart phones and SMSs, spreading message through masses is not problem, but asking them to adhere to some basic rules is problem.

Government's job is issuing travel advisories and requests for INDIAN passport holders to evacuate when situation is deteriorating. Rescue can happen, can't happen. People may be saved, may not be saved. In no way should we start holding GOI responsible for failure to save lives. Those who work outside the geographic borders of India are well and truly on their own with some help from embassy/consulate.

If KSA erupts, how can we expect GOI to evacuate everyone. Not even massa can do that.

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 08 Apr 2015 23:28

amazing what can be accomplished when proper people are on top.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 08 Apr 2015 23:46

SwamyG wrote:Courtesy: Hindustan Times.

I wonder what's the story about the SDRE guy with the TSP flag on the left wearing communal Hindu garland.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 08 Apr 2015 23:54

Oh! In addition to a garland they gave each evacuee a wad of Le Papier de-Toilette, I see..

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 09 Apr 2015 00:17

Suraj wrote: I wonder what's the story about the SDRE guy with the TSP flag on the left wearing communal Hindu garland.

The answer could be

Sushma Swaraj in Twitter wrote: @SushmaSwaraj
Humanitarian gesture - Indian Navy evacuated 3 Pak nationals from Hodeida by INS Sumitra. Pakistan brought 11 Indians from Makala.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 09 Apr 2015 00:21

While it is natural for everyone to ask why these people didnt leave after repeated GoI advisories, we also have to remember one thing. Like a poster said already, many of these people nurses, labourers etc, go there because its a lucrative job. They often have to care for a family back home and this is the only way they can. How many mallu folks go to the gelf for precisely that reason? How often do they get to return? Some people just cannot afford to come back and twiddle their thumbs in the off chance that things might get worse. Waiting until the last possible moment is a choice they almost have to take. In such cases, I'd rather have my taxes go to bail out these poor people than fund our presstitutes to come and lecture on Rajya sabha tv in delhi.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Apr 2015 00:21

The guy in middle also has TSP flag. So most likely the picture is of the 3 TSP nationals who got saved.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Apr 2015 00:29

Time to rename Arabian Sea as Indian Sea or Sea of Gujrara/Chalukya or Madhyama Dhadhi?

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 09 Apr 2015 02:08

First Post has an article with the title "The Great Indian Rescue" dated April 8th. http://www.firstpost.com/india/the-grea ... 88553.html

There is no by line. Coincidence? Or FP also reading BRF?

NDTV now uses the term "Great Escape" http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/governme ... far-753135

'Escape' was the first word that came to my mind as well, reminding me of several war movies and 'Great Escape' movie in particular. But the word 'escape' gives a negative connotation. I thought about 'relief' and 'rescue', since officially it was called 'relief' {raahat} I settled on 'Rescue'.

My intention is to paint a story, narration of pride and celebration. India for a long time, probably in all our live times has not celebrated its achievements in a way common people can readily associate and feel good about. This is one such good story about India that Indians and citizens of all country should feel good about. This is on the lines of the great election 2014 dhaaga we had.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 09 Apr 2015 02:24

http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/04/in ... -response/

One has to ask, what exactly is going on at the US State Department?

We have been following the deterioration of Yemen for months. Despite the obvious dangers to American citizens within this country, I guess our bureaucrats decided they really didn’t need an evacuation plan.

Fortunately, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government seem to be more on top of the situation.

Yes…because economically developed does not equate to common sense developed. Of course, in India’s case, it seems to be making greater progress with economic growth than our country, too.

Wait for it................................Wait for it..............................Wait for it....

Given the myriad of problems with Obamacare websites, I know which page I would use if I were in Yemen.

Strike that…I love Bollywood and chai tea, so I would call the Indians.

India changing one heart at a time

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Apr 2015 02:25

SwamyG, Thanks for the thread. I think a lot of people read BRF and get their ideas and never acknowledge the origins.

BTW the Firstpost article is badly written and wasn't even proof read.

What the hell is INS Turkish?

While 600 were rescued by Air India, over 100 were being evacuated from Al Hudaydah by INS Turkish, officials said.

"We will end our air evacuation efforts from Sanaa tomorrow and all those who want to leave should do so by tomorrow," the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said.

Also Gen VK Singh was there all along. The story implies he is just there!

Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, who oversaw the rescue operation of Indians in Djibouti, was at Sanaa today to assess the ground situation.

And it quotes CNN when it could have quoted MEA spokesman Akbaruddin who was giving minute by minute updates.

All in all its #Congubine story.

Don't feel bad!

BTW Rescue implies active effort by Govt.

Escape implies the evacuees somehow managed on their own accord.

Essentially story denies the GOI role.
What else to expect from NDTV.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 09 Apr 2015 02:32

http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/c ... 49455.html

As part of a massive rescue operation, three C-17 Globemaster aircraft of Indian Air Force have clocked nearly 150 flying hours in the last few days bringing back over 1,300 Indians from Djibouti after their evacuation from strife-torn Yemen.

Air Force officials said that each operation by aircraft of the C-17 squadron, nicknamed as skylords, based at Hindon Air Force station, takes around 14 hours, provided the evacuees and their papers are ready at Djibouti.

"The C-17 Unit of 81 squadron has pressed three planes for evacuation operation that have clocked 150 flying hours carrying back evacuated Indians", said Commanding Officer of the unit, Group Captain BS Reddy.

One of the C-17 took off from Hindon base to Djibouti for evacuating fresh batch of Indians.

Mr Reddy who is one of the four pilots who took off for Djibouti, said the evacuation sorties were avoiding air space over the troubled region and reaching Djibouti through a detour over Somalia for safety reasons.

"The aircraft cockpits are fortified with special steel armours to meet accidental hostile situations while flying over troubled region. The planes are also equipped with early warning systems to ward off missile attacks," Mr Reddy said.

The Air Force personnel including officers and technicians at Hindon are working round the clock to manage sorties by three C-17 planes that were bringing back evacuees from Djibouti, officials said.

Use of the biggest and the best cargo planes available to the IAF has an added advantage as Yemen and Saudi Arabia have expressed reservations over any type of foreign military presence in the region, officers said.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 09 Apr 2015 02:59

Old foto...numbers have changed.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 09 Apr 2015 03:12

A background on India Djibouti relations: http://www.scribd.com/doc/63315981/Indi ... ics#scribd

SriKumar · Post by **SriKumar** » 09 Apr 2015 03:20

ramana wrote: What the hell is INS Turkish?

INS Tarkash. (It is shown bottom right in the picture above).

BTW, Rescue is clearly the right word. It is a humungous logistics task involving simultaneous evacuatation by air and sea, covering about 10 cities in 4 countries (Yemen, Oman, Djbouti and India), of which one country is a warzone. No way this would happen without serious preparation and execution with a crazy level of dedication. To call this an escape, at this stage, when the scale of the task is known, is intellectual laziness at best.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 09 Apr 2015 03:32

http://www.dailyo.in/politics/yemen-ind ... /3023.html

This is the fourth evacuation operation carried out by the Narendra Modi government after being elected to power in May 2014.

In January 2015, 1,000 Indian nationals, mostly students were evacuated from Ukraine after the ministry of external affairs made arrangements to get them to Kiev. In July 2014: 4,500 Indians including 750 nurses were evacuated from Libya.

In end June-early July 2014 the national security advisor Ajit Doval flew into the middle east and successfully negotiated the release of 175 Indians including 46 nurses from the strife torn country Iraq. The government was credited with having our people released in extremely difficult circumstances in a very complex war zone. India has successfully carried out long drawn and difficult evacuation operations including operation Safe homecoming in 2011 when 18,000 people were evacuated and an air and sea bridge formed by Indian Navy and Air India to rescue people from Libya.

Have your say. You can comment here.
Operation Sukoon in 2006 was a massive operation to rescue people from the conflict in Lebanon.

member_23370 · Post by **member_23370** » 09 Apr 2015 03:39

The pic in hindustan times seems to be F-22p frigate? There is a motorhama wearing paki army fatigues.

SriKumar · Post by **SriKumar** » 09 Apr 2015 03:48

^^^ Right, and the soldier next to her with a gun also seems to be a Pakistani....his left arm patch is difficult to see (it is sideways) but I think it looks Pakistani flag (plus that's not an INSAS). This picture might be from Djbouti....cannot imagine is it in India.

arshyam · Post by **arshyam** » 09 Apr 2015 04:01

^^ it can't be India, since the IN is not directly evacuating to India.

Either they are Pakistanis evacuated by the IN to Djibouti (which doesn't seem like based on your observations), or the few Indians evacuated by the PN to Karachi. If they are Indians, I wouldn't put it past the Pakistanis handing them their flag for photo op and echandee value.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 09 Apr 2015 04:51

From 1:55 there are a few seconds speech bites from pilots.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 09 Apr 2015 05:18

KLNMurthy wrote:Yes, Gujral was PM at the time IIRC and the rescue (which went very well) had an impact on the budget at a difficult time.

I believe Gujral was the FM at that time. He did not become PM till 1991. I believe V.P. Singh was the PM at that time.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Apr 2015 06:09

yes that is F22p ship which also picked up 11 indians. they have reached karachi already I think.

Sharif sir has offered to send them on a plane to india and we have accepted the offer.

Shalav · Post by **Shalav** » 09 Apr 2015 06:14

Suraj wrote:
SwamyG wrote:Courtesy: Hindustan Times.

I wonder what's the story about the SDRE guy with the TSP flag on the left wearing communal Hindu garland.

pakistani ship

how do we know - uniform, no ship name on the boarding gangway, g3, chinese quality of the f22p

Also see here in getty

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 09 Apr 2015 07:16

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32216712

BBC reporter goes into Sana'a on one of the last Air India flights from Djibouti. VK Singh is on board and is interviewed.

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 09 Apr 2015 08:10

Thanks SwamyG for the thread.
heartening to read in entirety.

see yn nn bee beee see etc are all interveiwing embedding inside our planes ships but not find any #presstitutes doing this.

remember undtv and others going to libya plaestine iraq etc for showoff but not for a real Indian rescue operations.

anyway it is their loss.

glad vKS showed his soldierly fighting spirit and knocked down many in the #presstitutes.
loving twitter

Murugan · Post by **Murugan** » 09 Apr 2015 09:25

Kashi wrote:
KLNMurthy wrote:Yes, Gujral was PM at the time IIRC and the rescue (which went very well) had an impact on the budget at a difficult time.
I believe Gujral was the FM at that time. He did not become PM till 1991. I believe V.P. Singh was the PM at that time.

Chandrasekhar was prime minister 1990-91 Till June 91.

The worst affected during his time were railway commuters as his govt cancelled many trains especially running on diesel locomotives.

Gulf Rescue:
The passengers were brought by Indian Airlines flights and were on their own when they landed in Mumbai. These NRI were fleeced by Travelling agencies in Mumbai. Nightmarish.

NO COMPARISON with current rescue efforts - cinders and Diamonds

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 09 Apr 2015 09:30

UlanBatori wrote:Oh! In addition to a garland they gave each evacuee a wad of Le Papier de-Toilette, I see..

When wads of Le papier le toilette were exhausted they simply gave them Pakistani currency or Les Francs Pakistaniques as they would say in France if the French actually knew French

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 09 Apr 2015 09:41

Murugan wrote:Chandrasekhar was prime minister 1990-91 Till June 91.

I believe Chandrashekhar became the PM only in November 1990. Saddam invaded Kuwait in early August and the evacuations began soon thereafter. So V.P. Singh would have been the PM at that time.

I recall the nightmarish situation then, shortage of Fuel all across the nation, returnees being left high and dry and the anti-Mandal agitation going on as well.

Atri · Post by **Atri** » 09 Apr 2015 09:46

ramana wrote:Time to rename Arabian Sea as Indian Sea or Sea of Gujrara/Chalukya or Madhyama Dhadhi?

the names "Sindhu-Saagara" and "Gangaa-Saagara" are common in Indic narrative, saar.

Murugan · Post by **Murugan** » 09 Apr 2015 10:25

It is Hind Mahasagar (touching the shores of Sindh i.e., Hind, where River Indus - Sindhu meet the Sea). The yerab sea and bay of bengal are nothing but Hind Mahasagar - or more apt Sindh(u) Saagara.

Daange Marya Paani Chhutta No Pade (Vajubhai Wala - while addressing a see-off function for NaMo in Guj Assembly)

(You can't separate water by striking with stick)

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 09 Apr 2015 10:38

Prasad wrote:Like a poster said already, many of these people nurses, labourers etc, go there because its a lucrative job. They often have to care for a family back home and this is the only way they can. How many mallu folks go to the gelf for precisely that reason? How often do they get to return?

Every job (lucrative or other wise), comes associated with risks. Mallu folks can go to any place in the world, if that affords them a good pay and a decent life style. But they should also know the risks involved. The Malayali crowd has been the biggest whiners during the Egypt evacuation and during this Yemen evacuation. When travel advisories are issued, they just ignore it. And they want to be excused for that. When rescue missions get started, they need that to be done in a way which suits them. Today one clown evacuee has complained that he had to travel on cramped IAF air crafts and an IN vessel. Yeah, the cheapo was expecting a good "all costs taken by GoI" in a grand civil air craft of his choice.

And when GoI took the pains to drop them at Kochi airport, more fun awaited them. The state of Kerala was having one of the usual Harthal festivals. No vehicle was there on the road, and GoKL did nothing to ferry these people to their homes. In a couple of cases local police patrols felt pity on these folks and took them home in the police jeeps.

100% literate folks with a sense of entitlement which even beats the Kashmiris. The more I read of these attitudes, the more I get irritated on my own state people.

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 09 Apr 2015 11:04

chaanakya wrote:That way only Indians , be it poor or rich, educated professionals or illiterate labourers, would be respected abroad. When others know that might of GOI is behind their citizens. As resident Indian I fully support what NaMo Govt is doing and I hope that future govts keep doing in similar manner.

As an NRI it does my heart good to see RIs supporting GOI spending resources on saving NRIs from situations which by definition no RI has to face ever. SDRE Indians are very different from TFTA murricans in this respect.

Just to clear up any misunderstanding, I would never suggest sending a bill for what GOI did for this batch of evacuees, it's not done to send people a bill when they are not expecting it. But, given that this kind of situation is bound to recur probably on a larger scale, it is prudent to figure out how to pay for it; also, I am a believer in making the people stakeholders in their country's business operations instead of making them passive receivers of government services. I think politicians and governments would prefer to undertake these operations as a large-hearted act of volitional generosity. Whereas the government should be acting as hired employees of the people, with sentiment restricted to appreciating a job that is well done but still paid for.

I realize that making people pay for extraordinary protection by their government detracts from the warm fuzzy feeling we are all experiencing now, and makes the people-govermint relationship more transactional. I think that's not altogether a bad thing.

I expect some of the costs can be accounted for under "field experience for navy and Air Force" and echandee for India. That's fine, but I think we need to plan to make this kind of rescue sustainable and scalable (think of KSA). To do that, we need to have a serious plan to pay for it. Maybe insurance from a GOI corporation like General Insurance Corp, with rates determined by some version of the actuarial method. Or maybe just a flat surcharge on all passports.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 09 Apr 2015 12:34

Prasad wrote:While it is natural for everyone to ask why these people didnt leave after repeated GoI advisories, we also have to remember one thing. Like a poster said already, many of these people nurses, labourers etc, go there because its a lucrative job. They often have to care for a family back home and this is the only way they can. How many mallu folks go to the gelf for precisely that reason? How often do they get to return? Some people just cannot afford to come back and twiddle their thumbs in the off chance that things might get worse. Waiting until the last possible moment is a choice they almost have to take. In such cases, I'd rather have my taxes go to bail out these poor people than fund our presstitutes to come and lecture on Rajya sabha tv in delhi.

All valid points but one important point missed. The expats cannot comeback with a Passport which is kept by the Employer. It is tough work getting those passports out of the Employer's hands. Hence, specially in the Middle East, a lot of expats are stuck despite wanting to leave.

edited for spelling error

prahaar · Post by **prahaar** » 09 Apr 2015 12:43

deejay wrote:
Prasad wrote:While it is natural for everyone to ask why these people didnt leave after repeated GoI advisories, we also have to remember one thing. Like a poster said already, many of these people nurses, labourers etc, go there because its a lucrative job. They often have to care for a family back home and this is the only way they can. How many mallu folks go to the gelf for precisely that reason? How often do they get to return? Some people just cannot afford to come back and twiddle their thumbs in the off chance that things might get worse. Waiting until the last possible moment is a choice they almost have to take. In such cases, I'd rather have my taxes go to bail out these poor people than fund our presstitutes to come and lecture on Rajya sabha tv in delhi.
All valid points but one important point missed. The expats cannot comeback with a Passport which is kept by the Employer. It is tough work getting those passports out of the Employe"rs hands. Hence, specially in the Middle East, a lot of expats are stuck despite wanting to leave.

Is there something GOI can do about this? I find this, as the most demeaning features of working in that region. From my personal experiences, I am aware of how much pain/suffering it causes, to even "white-collared" professionals. It is a de facto arrest for the people living them, if the employer wakes up on the wrong side. The less said about the law enforcement agencies there the better.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 09 Apr 2015 12:55

I am sure GOI can impose national restrictions on employment of Indian Nationals in foreign locations which make it illegal for such employers to confiscate or keep Passports and other personal documents. This first step would be required to at least stop or prosecute those companies who still do it.

There will be side effects as in some companies would stop employing Indians but then given the size and scale of the outrageous exploitation going on some such step should be taken.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 09 Apr 2015 14:06

In fact some of the keralite nurses in Yemen were claiming that their passports are with hospital. GOI then took care of it and said forget the passport and come to the ship. Then the nurses started demanding 2 month's salary pending with the employer before they will leave Yemen. Makes my blood boil. Just leave them there to rot.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Apr 2015 14:36

its these 140 nurses for whom an additional day of flights has been arranged.

they should act like adults and not spoilt brats. they will scale back demands if some lawless militia catches and tears apart a few of them but it will be too late then.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 09 Apr 2015 15:17

High idiocy, if true. But it's believable ...

Jaeger · Post by **Jaeger** » 09 Apr 2015 15:45

^^Of course, it's obviously idiotic behaviour... but I have to wonder what were the conditions at home that they would travel to a place like Yemen to work in the first place? These people pay obscene amounts to "Job Agents" to get their jobs and probably spend their first few years earnings just paying that off. Two months back salary means a lot when you've got a family to take care of and no source of income in the foreseeable future.
A little empathy goes a long way, is what I'm saying.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 09 Apr 2015 15:55

Jaeger wrote:^^Of course, it's obviously idiotic behaviour... but I have to wonder what were the conditions at home that they would travel to a place like Yemen to work in the first place? These people pay obscene amounts to "Job Agents" to get their jobs and probably spend their first few years earnings just paying that off. Two months back salary means a lot when you've got a family to take care of and no source of income in the foreseeable future.
A little empathy goes a long way, is what I'm saying.

If they have resources to pay "obscene amounts" in the first place...

A little empathy goes along way indeed, so does a little gratitude.