After Russia launched military action against Ukraine, a video emerged showing Vaishali Yadav, an MBBS student from Ivano Frankivsk National Medical University, appealing to the Government of India to rescue the thousands of students stuck in Ukraine. But the right-wing ecosystem, that does not take kindly to anything that showcases the ineptitude of the regime, decided to focus instead on Yadav’s alleged dereliction of duty as Gram Pradhan and started a vitriolic campaign on Twitter against her.
“There is panic here, bombs are being dropped. We are all in the hope that the Indian government will help… we had booked flights but they got cancelled. We are stuck indoors in our flats, the station is unpredictable and anything can happen,” Yadav had said in the video. The 24-year-old had pursued her initial education in Hardoi and Lucknow, before she left to work towards earning an MBBS degree from Ukraine three years ago. Last year, she was reportedly elected Gram Pradhan from Hardoi.
Now, even as the shocking news of an Indian student being killed in Ukraine, is still being processed, the right-wing ecosystem is busy blaming the students. Today it is Yadav who is being trolled mercilessly for continuing to study in Ukraine even after being elected as Gram Pradhan or village head in Hardoi.
According to some, the local Panchayat has issued a notice to Yadav “seeking an explanation why she moved back to Ukraine after getting elected as Gram Pradhan”, others claim an enquiry will be done, and one claimed she has been detained by UP police! Meanwhile Yadav still remains stuck in a dangerous war zone like many others.
Vaishali had recently told Times of India, that she chose to study in Ukraine as its MBBS degree is acceptable across the European Union. “I never thought that I would get stuck here in the crossfire. I have only chosen Ukraine because its degree is accepted for practice anywhere in the EU. I only want a flight back home now,” she said. This is what she had asked in her video as well, seeking help for the entire student community, many of who are still stuck in the country where Russian troops are dropping bombs even in civilian residential areas.
Vaishali Yadav from Hardoi is in Ukrain. She is stranded there. Appeal to @PMOIndia @mygovindia #hardoi #Ukraine #Russia #UkraineRussiaCrisis #UkraineWar#UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineCrisis pic.twitter.com/ZiYZEEDteS
— Tariq Iqbal (@tariq_iqbal) February 25, 2022
Interestingly, though the right wing is busy trolling her today, in December 2021, she was praised for discharging her duties as the village head via video conferencing. According to a report in Amar Ujala, Vaishali Yadav was hailed as an example of ‘Digital India’ and was praised for seeking to develop her village Tera Pursali on the same lines as villages in Ukraine. She contested and won the Gram Panchayat elections last year, following in the footsteps of her father Mahendra Singh Yadav who is a former Block President. This is another point that the trolls have brought up now. They are attacking her and accusing her of ‘criticising’ and even ‘defaming’ the Indian government for its Gram Panchayat meetings via video conferencing and continuing her studies in Ukraine.
Some right-wing members have claimed that Yadav has been “detained from Hardoi by UP Police” however no such statement has been made public by the police yet. Others are attacking her claiming “after getting caught maligning India’s image” Yadav claimed she “did (it) on my Father Mahender Yadav’s behest who is a Samajwadi Leader.” Others are busy copy-pasting from this hate toolkit.
Vaishali Yadav, Who shot a video, claiming she is a Medical Student stuck in Ukraine without any Help from Indian govt, detained from Hardoi by UP Police.
After getting caught maligning India’s image, She says I did on my Father Mahender Yadav’s behest who is a Samajwadi Leader. pic.twitter.com/ByTJXOpj66— Megh Updâtes ? (@MeghBuIletin) March 2, 2022
After Student Vaishali Yadav’s video appeal from Ukraine went viral,
Panchayati Raj issued notice & asking that why she went to Ukraine after elected as Gram Pradhan.
She contested & won Panchayat elections in 2021 and elected as Gram Pradhan in a village, Hardoi district, UP.
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) March 2, 2022
Another Hypocrite using #RussianUkrainianWar as an opportunity to defame Modi Led Indian Govt. She is Vaishali Yadav who made this video from Hardoi: City in UP & is daughter of Samajvadi Party leader Mahendra Yadav.
Shameless Parasites!#UPFirMangeBJPhttps://t.co/aQu3XZc09Z pic.twitter.com/0jmmTqHzAs
— Gaurav Mishra ?? (@IamGmishra) March 2, 2022
According to the Times of India, Vaishali Yadav “was planning a virtual meeting with villagers when suddenly, artillery shells struck towns in Ukraine.” Yadav was quoted saying, “I woke my other mates who are from Punjab and Haryana. We reached out to see black smoke engulfing the city.” Vaishali, said the students have been “chanting ‘Hanuman Chalisa’,” to overcome their fears. “I only want a flight back home now,” she said. According to TOI, her father Mahendra Yadav also organised a ‘havan’ for her safety.
Another webportal said Mahendra Singh Yadav shared that his daughter had booked her flight ticket to come to India on February 23 but that was cancelled. He has four daughters and one son, Vaishali Yadav, is the eldest, she had last left for Ukraine in September 2021. According to Amar Ujala, she was keen on returning home and working for her village as soon as she completed her degree. “Just one year to go,” she had told the media then.
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