Punjab CM saddened, AAP flays Sushma over death of Indians

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday expressed grief over the death of Indians kidnapped by the Islamic State in Iraq's Mosul in 2014 while the AAP demanded the resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for misleading the families of the dead.

"Shattered over the heart-wrenching news that the 39 Indians missing in Iraq, most of whom were Punjabis, are dead," the Chief Minister tweeted.

"My heart goes out to the families who had been living in hope since their reported abduction by ISIS in 2014. Prayers with all of them."

Earlier in the day, Sushma Swaraj told the Rajya Sabha that their bodies were spotted using deep penetration radar. The bodies were exhumed from mass graves and their identities confirmed by DNA tests.

She said the mortal remains would be brought back to India by Union Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh.

Legislator of main opposition AAP, Kanwar Sandhu, slammed the Union Minister.

"Sushma Swaraj should resign as External Affairs Minister taking responsibility for the lies she spread about the 39 missing Indians in Iraq," Sandhu said in a tweet.

State Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa said he was saddened by the news.

"It is my appeal to the Government of India and the Punjab government to provide all possible help and financial aid to families of 39 Indians killed in Iraq," he tweeted.

He accused the Central government of playing with the emotions of the families by giving them false hope. "Can there be anything more shameful than this?" he asked.

--IANS

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