Over 200 Indians stranded in Tanzania send SOS

LUCKNOW: Day after the Centre announced to bring back 15,000 Indians from as many as 12 countries, a group of 200 citizens stuck in Tanzania have appealed to the Indian government to bring them back as well.

“Despite our repeated request to the Indian high commission in Dar es Salaam, Indians stranded in Tanzania have been left out from the list of people to be evacuated,” said Rajan Pandya, leader of Indians in Tanzania.

Talking to HT over phone, Pandya said, “In Tanzania, measures like lockdown have not been taken to save people from Covid. So we have to stay at home under constant fear of contracting the virus. There are medical facilities but are very expensive. Some of the Indians living here have lost their jobs but are unable to return as there is no flight available.”

Rajesh Kumar Singh, a resident of Lucknow living in Tanzania said, “We have been living here for years but after the pandemic things have changed. We want to be with our families in India.”

“As an NRI, we have contributed to the Indian economy for years by earning foreign exchange but now we only want to get a return flight back home. We are ready to bear the cost of our tickets,” he said.

He said, “Our high commission here is unable to give us the clear information. We tried to convey our message through Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp to the government of India but there has been no response.”

“We are ready to be quarantined on our own expense. We have assured the government to follow every rule. All we want from the government is to arrange a flight back home,” said Rajesh.

“We have come to know that Tanzanian government is sending a plane to India to take back their 250 students. We request the government of India to allow us to board that plane,” said Singh.