Modi assures India will wipe Nepal’s tears, hold hands

With Nepal descending deeper into a full-blown crisis and a potential humanitarian catastrophe in the wake of the massive earthquake, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that India will wipe the tears of every person in Nepal as his government has gone full steam to fast-track rescue, relief and rehabilitation for the quake victims.

“For 1.25 billion Indians, Nepal is their own country and India will make all efforts to wipe the tears of every person in Nepal, hold their hands and stand with them,” Mr Modi said his monthly radio address to the nation, entitled “Mann ki Baat.” He also spoke extensively about the recent calamities, including the storm in Bihar and the crisis in the war-torn Yemen.

The prime minister also recalled the Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat on January 2001, which killed nearly 20,000 people, and added stressed that the recent earthquake with its epicenter in Nepal has shaken the whole world.

Mr Modi said that India has initiated the rescue process as it has sent teams of experts, doctors and paramedics to help out the victims of the quake.

He referred to a series of natural disaster occurring in the region in last few months. “It seems a series of natural disasters has begun. The quake has also killed many people in different states of India. Property has also been damaged. But the destruction and damage in Nepal is massive.”

The prime minister lauded India’s massive rescue operation in the war-ridden Yemen, where it evacuated 4,640 Indians and 960 foreign nationals from 48 different countries. He praised the Indian Air Force, the Navy and the Foreign Ministry for their incredible work and said, “I am sure the efforts will leave an indelible mark in history.”

Meanwhile, the Indian government has announced that the next kin of people who lost their lives due to the earthquake will be given a compensation of Rs 400,000. This amount will be in addition to the Rs 200,000 from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Those who are seriously injured will be given a compensation of Rs 50,000.

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