By Kulsum Mustafa
Lucknow: Indian Students, several of them from Lucknow, stranded at the largest Islamic seminary in Qom Province of Iran’ s religious capital is making a fervent appeal to the Indian government to bring them back to their home country at the earliest. These students, some with their families also settled in Iran, have been stranded in Qom because of the Covid-19 outbreak, popularly known as coronavirus. Normal Flights into and out of Iran are banned. Under the circumstances, the only way to get out of the country is to be evacuated by their home country. Iran is one of the worst-hit of the 114 countries where the Virus has struck. In Iran, Qom was the epicentre of the outbreak it was here that the first case of coronavirus first surfaced and spread like fire to the rest of Iran.
According to reliable sources in Tehran, 429 lives have been lost while over 10075 have tested positive. Iran has closed all its educational Institutions and ban on any public meetings.
In an SOS, a student from Lucknow, on condition of anonymity. told Siasat on Whatsapp that while the Indian government is in touch with the Iranian authorities and is making efforts for evacuations of Indians in Iran but their priority is the pilgrims and businessmen and the students in Qom are being ignored. He alleged that till date no Indian official has approached them or checked on their health parameters. Asserting that the students are in deep despair and depression he said they have imposed a ‘self-quarantine’ and are living with the hope that they will be taken home soon. But he said that their desperate and sustained attempts to contact the Indian Embassy have borne no encouraging results. They have just been asked to take precautions and follow the advisory.
“The officer when contacted spoke of the Embassy acting as a facilitator thereby implying that we will have to bear the expenses of the evacuation,” said the student, adding that they are in no position to afford this. Besides the official made it clear that their chief priority is the pilgrims and businessmen and it may take nearly 20 days before their turn comes.
All this has had a very negative effect on the morale of the Indian students.
A host of senior officials, politicians, clerics and members of Revolutionary Guards have died.On February 19, announced first infections and two deaths. Hooein Sheikholeslam, Iranian diplomat died from the coronavirus infection on Thursday. It is being said that 8 pr cent of Iran’s parliament has been infected. This includes deputy health minister and one of the vice presidents.