Ker CM urges PM Modi to airlift stranded Indians at Wuhan

: Observing that the situation in coronavirus affected Wuhan province in China was worsening, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrange for airlifting stranded Indians, including those from the southern state.

Sharing the concern of Kerala, Vijayan, in a letter to Modi, said the ground situation in Wuhan has worsened and the state had information from relatives of students from Kerala studying at various Universities in Wuhan that the situation there was "grave".

There were also reports that Yichang area has also been affected, he said.

"It may be appropriate to consider operating a special flight to Wuhan/a nearby functional airport and airlift the Indian nationals stranded there and bring them back to India", Vijayan said, days after he shot off two letters to External Affairs minister S Jaishankar.

Vijayan also offered the assistance of medical professionals from Kerala in case the Indians being evacuated from Wuhan needed medical attention.

"On behalf of the State of Kerala, I would like to offer the assistance of medical professionals from our side in case the Indians being evacuated from Wuhan are to be medically attended to", he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media here.

He also wanted necessary instructions to be given to the Indian Embassy in China to "act pro actively" and provide necessary assistance and reassurance to Indians, including keralites stranded in Wuhan and Yichang.

The Chief Minister had earlier written to Jaishankar, requesting steps to have a comprehensive assessment of the emerging situation and to provide necessary assistance to the people of Indian origin, most of whom are students of Wuhan University.