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Panic, confusion among students abroad after govt prohibits travel
The Indian government’s decision to prohibit the entry of all passengers from the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey, and United Kingdom to check the spread of the novel coronavirus has created panic and confusion among several Indian students in these places.
On Monday evening, when 24-year-old Manasi Rozekar heard of the first case of coronavirus surfacing in Norwich, a city in England’s Norfolk country where she is studying, she immediately decided to book a flight home to New Delhi. As she navigated the flight options, she learnt of flights to India being cancelled from March 18.
“Within minutes the prices of flights from the United Kingdom to India had surged to as much as R. 1.5 to 2 lakh. Then we came to know that flights have been cancelled from the 18th. Despite the sharp increase in prices, people were willing to pay just to return home. Even I was trying to book, but within a couple of minutes no seats were available anymore,” said Rozekar, who is studying for her Masters in law at the University of East Anglia.
The Indian government’s decision to prohibit the entry of all passengers from the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey, and United Kingdom to check the spread of the novel coronavirus has created panic and confusion among several Indian students in these places. On Tuesday, the ban on travel was extended to flights coming in from Afghanistan, the Philippines and Malaysia as well.
To be sure, students are appreciative of the Indian government’s efforts to tighten the lockdown to stop the spread of Covid-19. At the same time, they are feeling abandoned by their own country at a time of crisis.
“This is a very worrying situation. India has taken a wise step but I feel so stuck here. Especially since the person tested positive stayed just a building away and I am not sure if I have it already,” said Rozekar. “In any case, I would have preferred to stay in India in this situation and did not mind being put in quarantine as well.”
Gaurav Girish Kulkarni, 23, who is also a student in Norwich, said: “I knew that we would be tested and quarantined if we went back to India, but I never thought that they would take this sudden decision of cancelling all flights. At least the government should have given us some time.”
Amresh Sinha, 35, a student at the University of Bristol in England,said he had not planned on getting back to India in any case before completing his course.
“But I do understand the feeling of abandonment large sections of Indian students in the UK are feeling although largely everyone understands the unprecedented situation and also I believe the decision is valid only till March 31.”
Several students prefer to stay put where they are rather than heading home on account of the fear of being quarantined on landing.
“Even though we are hoping Air India will fly out Indian students from Milan, I prefer staying here rather than being quarantined for 14 days after landing,” said Shahzeb Khan, a student of Poletecnico di Milano at Milan in Italy. “I am not leaving my hostel and the University is providing us with all facilities including sanitizers etc,” added Khan, who belongs to Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.
Sagarika Ghosh, 29, who studies at a university in Munich, Germany, too said that she prefers not to head home now. “The public health care system is much better here than in India. It makes sense to stay back,” said Ghosh who is from New Delhi.
Some are openly critical of the Indian government’s decision. “At a time when the German government has kept aside a large sum of money to get back its citizens from across the world, the Indian government has decided to abandon the Indian citizens across so many countries, which I find to be very strange.” said Sujatro Ghosh, a researcher at Goethe Institute in Berlin
