Union minister, VK Singh said that the Dawoodi Bohra community worked played a crucial role in helping Indian authorities evacuate people in Yemen.
Lauding the role of the trading community, Dawoodi Bohra in the evacuation of Indians from Yemen during 'Operation Rahat', Union minister of state for external affairs, VK Singh said that despite them doing a tremendous job, it has not been duly recognized.
"We also had the Indian Bohra community which provided us volunteers and assisted us in gathering people to come to us... These silent workers did a tremendous job and I think nobody seems to have recognised the type of role this little community played out there in ensuring that people could come to the airport, could be ferried to the airport. Word would be passed around to them that aircraft will start landing at so and so time so we want you to come early," he said.
The former Army chief also said that the community ensured that immigration authorities in Yemen worked and assisted the Indian government.
Describing the challenges that Indian authorities faced while evacuating Indians from the war-torn country, Mr Singh said some people were reluctant to return to India and had to be coaxed to come back.
"Our people who were working there were very happy, except that when the situation went bad they thought it is better that we get evacuated. Otherwise there were a lot of people, for example a bunch of nurses I spoke to said that they are not happy going back. So it was a shock...You are trying to evacuate somebody back home and they are saying I am not happy to go back home," he said.
The minister was speaking at an event in Bombay Stock Exchange where he was felicitated for the success of 'Operation Rahat' conducted by the government in April this year.
"When I asked them why, they said we have a very good job here and we are only going back because our parents are crying at home and asking us to come. They wanted to stay back and I am quite sure by now, they must be already back in Yemen," the former general said.