Prime minister Narendra Modi meeting Father Tom Uzhunnalil, who was recently rescued from captivity in Yemen, in New Delhi on Thursday. Minister of state for tourism (I/C) and electronics & information technology, Alphons Kannanthanam and other dignitaries are also seen. PTI/PIB
Shillong: Hailing the safe return of rescued Christian missionary Father Tom Uzhunnalil to India on Thursday, union minister Alphons Kannanthanam on Friday said the NDA government was determined to protect every citizen.
"I am sure you are aware that Fr Tom, who was kidnapped in Yemen, has been brought back home yesterday. He was rescued by sheer determination of the government under the leadership of the prime minister and external affairs minister," the union tourism minister said.
"Even the Americans were not able to do it and even the European nations were not able to do it but we brought him back," he said.
Father Tom, who was working as a chaplain in an old-age home in Aden, was taken captive in March last year by armed ISIS terrorists who took him to Yemen.
Rescuing Fr Tom was 'complex' since there was no Indian embassy in Yemen, Alphons said, adding that "This means huge diplomatic deployment and talking to all neighboring countries."
The union minister said this government is determined in protecting Indians everywhere irrespective of communities and religion.
He went on to cite examples of how the government has rescued Father Prem Kumar, the operations to bring back the nurses from Libya and how Judith Judith D'Souza was released from her captors in Afghanistan.
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