Bengaluru, Oct 23 — Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday to intervene urgently to ensure the safe and early repatriation of over 600 Umrah pilgrims from Karnataka stranded in the holy cities of Makkah and Madina in Saudi Arabia amid the escalating security situation in the Middle East.
In a letter to Jaishankar, Shivakumar said the suspension of return flights to Bengaluru and other parts of India had left the pilgrims in difficult circumstances, with many facing severe hardships due to disruptions in air services.
He said the Chairman of the Karnataka State Haj Committee and his team, who recently visited the holy cities, had also reported that several pilgrims were experiencing serious difficulties. Many had exhausted their financial resources and were struggling to meet basic needs, including food and accommodation.
Reports indicated that hotels were asking pilgrims to vacate their rooms, leaving several people, including elderly persons, women and children, in a particularly vulnerable situation, he said.
Shivakumar noted that temporary assistance being provided by Indian and Karnataka voluntary organisations in the region was insufficient to meet the needs of all those affected.
Emphasising the humanitarian urgency, the Chief Minister urged the External Affairs Minister to ensure that the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah coordinate with the Saudi Arabian authorities, airlines and other relevant agencies to assess the situation and make immediate arrangements for the safe return of the stranded pilgrims.
He also requested the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate special flights wherever necessary and ensure adequate interim assistance to the pilgrims until they return to India.
Given the vulnerability of those stranded and the difficulties they were experiencing, Shivakumar requested the Ministry to accord the matter the highest priority and initiate the necessary steps without delay.
He said the Karnataka government was ready to extend all necessary cooperation to facilitate the safe and early return of the affected pilgrims.