Siddaramaiah seeks MEA help to get home Hakki Pikki tribe stranded in Sudan; "Don't politicise issue," says Jaishankar

When Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah tweetd on Sudan expressing concern over the plight of people from Karnataka stuck in Sudan clashes, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar retorted saying the issue is being politicised before Karnataka polls. 

As the issue soon propelled into a controversy between Congress and BJP, the tweet war rolled out several responses and trolls. Since Siddaramaiah tagged the PMO, the Home Minister's office, the MEA and Karnataka chief minister Bommai, the response from Jaishankar became the centre of controversy now. 

Siddaramaiah said he tagged Jaishankar because he is the external affairs minister. Reacting to Jaishankar's reaction that he was appalled, Siddaramaiah said, "If you are busy getting appalled please point us to the person who can help us bring our people back."

Jairam Ramesh joined the controversy with his tweet stating, "A most appalling response from the External Affairs minister to a former CM with a genuine appeal. This level of nastiness from a man I have known so very well... who has developed new loyalties and who wants to show that in whatever he says and does. I am on his past."

What's Siddaramaiah's tweet?

Siddaramaiah earlier tweeted, "It is reported that 31 people from Karnataka belonging to Hakki Pikki tribe, are stranded in Sudan which is troubled by civil war. I urge @PMOIndia @narendramodi,@HMOIndia,@MEAIndia and @BSBommai to immediately intervene & ensure their safe return."

To this, Jaishankar replied, ""Simply appalled at your tweet! There are lives at stake; don't do politics. Since the fighting started on April 14th, the Embassy of India in Khartoum has been continuously in touch with most Indian Nationals and PIOs in Sudan. Their details and locations cannot be made public for security reasons."

As per reports, 31 people belonging to Hakki-Pikki community who sell traditional herbal medicines from Karnataka are stranded in Sudan amid a civil war, and Siddaramaiah sought the MEA's help to get them back home safely. However, Jaishankar said the move was politicised and the details cannot be given on security reasons.

On Monday, the Indian embassy in Sudan issued an advisory urging Indians not to venture out of their residences and stay calm. The embassy on Sunday said that one Indian national died in Khartoum after sustaining bullet injuries without giving further details.

Sudan has been witnessing violent clashes between the army and a militia group for the last one week that left around 100 people dead, prompting Siddaramaiah's tweet seeking MEA's support.