The Janata Dal (United) on Monday downplayed External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s statement on Indian workers now stuck in Saudi Arabia and said that bringing back labourers is of no use until the government provides them jobs.
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However that is being hampered by a Saudi requirement that workers provide a no-objection certificate from their employers before they can leave the country, she said. As the oversee evacuation and assistance to over 10, 000 Indians who are working in Saudi through severe food crisis in the country. The Indian government says the situation in Kuwait is more “manageable” for its citizens than it is in Saudi Arabia.
“Large number of Indians has lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait”.
Minister of state for external affairs MJ Akbar would be taking up the issue with the Saudi and Kuwaiti authorities, she said.
“We have asked @IndianEmbRiyadh to provide free ration to the unemployed Indian workers in Saudi Arabia”, she tweeted.
“The last message I received on the issue was at 2.45 am today and I was informed that ration has been distributed among all the workers in five camps”, Swaraj said.
It posted pictures of Indian people queuing up to collect the food packets, eggs, spices and salt provided by its officials.
About 10,000 Indian workers are stranded in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait after being laid off from work.
More than 15,000kg of food has been delivered by the Indian consulate in Jeddah, she said.
In November 2014, Gulf and Asian labour ministers agreed on a series of initiatives aimed at boosting protection and improving conditions of employment for foreign workers in the Gulf.
There are 3 million Indians working in Saudi Arabia, at present.
Are Indian migrant workers treated well in normal circumstances?
According to the source, the exact number of Indians who will be brought back is not clear.
The government has requested the Saudi authorities to give them exit visas without NoC from employers and also urged it to clear the dues of workers who have not been paid for months, whenever they settle the accounts with the companies concerned. Saudi employers are notorious for taking away the passports of their workers, and treating them badly.
When some workers told their bosses they want to return to India, they were turned over to the police, said Vinu Ganesan, an Indian worker outside Riyadh.
The layoffs followed protests from workers saying the company had not paid its employees for seven months.
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Indian news reports say that numerous workers have not been paid for months.
