Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, May 17: Natives of Karnataka, who are stuck in Malaysia since two months are eager to return to their homeland. The group which consists of 86 people has been repeatedly appealing chief minister B S Yediyurappa, union minister Sadananda Gowda and MP of Kolar S Muniswamy for help through social media.

The Kannadigas in Malyasia have questioned on social media, "The states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala have made arrangements to bring back their people. Why is there no such arrangement for us?"

A person by the name Bhargava has written a letter in this regard to CM Yediyurappa and union minister Sadananda Gowda, giving the names and details of all the 86 Kannadiagas. 

In his appeal, Bhargava said that he is from Kolar and doing his MBA in Bengaluru. "I came to Malaysia on March 13, along with four other students of our college, in order to pursue internship from our college. We are living in Selangor state of Malaysia. However, due to lockdown, all flights are cancelled from Malaysia from March 17. It is going to be two months. We are residing in the apartment that is provided to us by our college management. We are not allowed to go out. Our internship was of three months. But due to lockdown, two months have passed by without any classes. We are vitually under house arrest in our apartment.

"Like me there are 86 Kannadigas belonging to various parts of Karnataka. We have listed the names and details in this letter and hereby appeal everyone to publish the same on social media and help us to reach India. We have also provided our names to the Indian high commissioner's office in Malaysia over phone. But the union and state governments have not made any flight arrangements for us to reach Bengaluru. So we are stuck here," Bhargava said.

"We are somehow managing our life from the money whatever is left with us and also due to the support of our college administrative committee. But our money is fast depleting. Our aim of completing the internship is also not over. So the state government has to make arrangments to call us as soon as possible to Karnataka. We have come to know that flights are operating to Bengaluru from countries like Singapore. So even we have to be called back," he urged.

Similar appeals have been made by Kannadigas stranded in Dhaka, Bangladesh. According to reports, around 70-80 people from Karnataka are currently requesting repatriation from Dhaka. Some of them had hoped to return by Air India flight from Chennai, but were disappointed on learning that only people from Tamil Nadu were allowed to board the flight. Though flights from various parts of India including Jammu and Kashmir have been arranged for Indians in Dhaka, there is no flight from Bengaluru as of now. Kannadigas in Dhaka have appealed to chief minister Yediyurappa and also contacted the Prime Minister's office for help.