Coronavirus: 120 Tamil Nadu students returned from Malaysia to Vizag – Times of India

CHENNAI: Revenue minister R B Udayakumar on Thursday said chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami would ensure safe and immediate return of the stranded fishermen and students from Iran, Malaysia and Philippines by continuously engaging in talks with the external affairs ministry and Indian embassies. The continuous efforts helped the safe return of 120 students from Malaysia to Visakhapatnam.
The minister was responding to a special call attention motion moved by DMK MLA S Austin, Congress MLA A J Prince, and MJK MLA Thamimun Ansari on the plight of the stranded Tamils in other countries, who have been reaching out to the government via social media. “The CM has been checking out morning and evening with the ministry and the embassies. A request has been sent to the Centre to fly them back,” Udayakumar said. He said the students brought to Visakhapatnam would return home after the mandatory quarantine.
Efforts are on to rescue 669 fishermen stranded in Iran ports. The chief minister had written letters to the Centre, and special representative of Tamil Nadu government in New Delhi, besides the AIADMK MPs meeting external affairs minister S Jaishankar. “We have received information that the operations to bring them back began from March 10 onwards. Priority is given to tourists and visitors to temples since getting food for them remains a big challenge,” he said. As for the students and fishermen, Udayakumar said the government had ensured supply of food for them.