39 Indians killed in Iraq: As family members, opposition attack government, VK Singh says 'no one was misled'
Follow UsMinister of State for External Affairs VK Singh has spoken out on the 39 missing Indians killed in Iraq.
The government has quickly come under fire for its handling of the issue. A number of opposition leaders have said the government had known the missing Indians were dead and family members of the missing said that they were not told beforehand and only heard the news when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made her announcement in Parliament Tuesday morning.
Singh said that it took time to confirm the deaths, adding that "no one was misled'.
39 Indians missing in Iraq killed: MPs continue protesting, Sushma not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha
"Everything takes time, Sushma (Swaraj) Ji had stated she will not declare them dead until there is strong proof and she kept her promise, no one was misled. It is job of opposition to take everything in the wrong way," Singh said.
#WATCH: MoS MEA VK Singh speaks on death of 39 Indians in Mosul, says, 'Everything takes time, Sushma Ji had stated she will not declare them dead until there is strong proof & she kept her promise, no one was misled. It is job of opposition to take everything in the wrong way.' pic.twitter.com/QqNzYCREhR
— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2018
"There was hope, but then seeing the situation there chances of them being alive seemed slim. Legal procedures are underway there & might take 8-10 days, we are waiting for them to complete," Singh added.
"Different news came from different angles, hence an effort was made to verify facts by going there, then DNA matching was done. EAM had earlier stated that until there is strong proof of their death she will not inform the house," the minister said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said earlier Tuesday that Singh would be the one travelling to Iraq to bring the bodies of the 39 missing Indians back home.