Congress protests in Dehradun demanding release of people stranded in Uganda

DEHRADUN: Scores of Congress workers today staged a protest outside the Regional Passport Office here demanding release of people from Uttarakhand stranded in Ugandan capital Kampala and asked External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to intervene in the matter.

Led by Congress leader Asha Manorama Dobriyal Sharma, the protesters gathered outside the RPO, which comes under the MEA, and raised slogans against Swaraj.

"The humanitarian consideration showed in case of former IPL boss Lalit Modi was missing when it came to securing release of Uttarakhandi youths stranded in Uganda," Sharma alleged.

Asking Swaraj to show the same sympathy once again as she did in the case of Lalit Modi, Sharma said the Uttarakhandis stranded in Kampala lacked not just documents but also money.

Citing the example of Chief Minister Harish Rawat on whose initiative nine youths from Uttarakhand stranded in Malaysia recently returned home safely, Sharma said Swaraj should intervene in the matter and secure the safe return of those stuck in the Ugandan capital.

She said nine youths from Uttarakhand are stranded in Kampala out of which two have returned home already but seven are still stuck there due to lack of proper documents and money.

She said she had been approached for help by the family members of those stranded in the Ugandan capital.