Can we direct Putin to stop: CJI questions plea seeking evacuation of Indians from Ukraine

The Supreme Court on Thursday hearing a petition seeking directions to the Indian government to rescue Indian students stranded on the Ukrainian border, asked the petitioner, “What can the court do? Can we issue a direction to the President of Russia to stop the war?”

The Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said the court feels bad for people who are suffering and the Indian students, who are stuck in Ukraine amid the ongoing war, but it cannot direct the Russian President to stop the war.

“We sympathise with the students, we are feeling very bad. But can we direct Russia's President Putin to stop the war?” Justice Ramana said.

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The CJI then told AG that “there are thousands of students like this, but some have come here... we can’t say no, please use your good offices and do something.”

The petitioner claimed that the Indian government is only focusing on evacuation from eastern Ukraine. “More students are stranded in other parts of Ukraine. They should also be evacuated, and the government should be asked to take care of them,” the petitioner said. Responding to this, CJI Ramana asked the petitioner as to which government should be asked to take care of the students.

The bench asked the counsel, “Ask, which government to take care?”

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The Supreme Court, while noting that as per media reports, the Government of India appears to be doing its best to evacuate stranded Indian students from Ukraine, also asked Attorney General KK Venugopal to use his office in helping evacuate Indian students stranded in Ukraine near the Romania border.

“Flights are being operated from Poland and Hungary and not from Romania. The students, which also included many girls, are stuck without any facility,” the lawyer told the top court.

“We have all sympathies with them. But what can the court do,” the bench said.

The Centre had Wednesday informed that over the 20,000 stranded Indians, since the start of the Russian offensive, 60 per cent have crossed Ukrainian borders. Efforts are being made to rescue the remaining people.

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