In reply to a query in Parliament, the Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar disclosed that of the 9,771 complaints of torture filed by Indian workers employed in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the most number of complaints were from Kuwait.

The external affairs minister clarified that according to information given by Missions and Posts in the Gulf countries, as on 30.6.2019, Kuwait topped the list with 2,377 complaints registered by Indian workers, followed by Saudi Arabia, where 2,244 complaints were registered, and Oman from where there were 1764 complaints. Around 1477 complaints came from the United Arab Emirates and 1459 from Qatar, while the least number of complaints, 450, were registered from Bahrain.

The minister revealed that most of the complaints received from and on behalf of Indian workers were regarding non-payment of salaries and denial of legitimate labor rights and benefits such as non-issuance/renewal of residence permits, non-payment/grant of overtime allowance, weekly holidays, longer working hours, refusal to grant exit/re-entry permits for visit to India, refusal to allow the worker on final exit visa after completion of their contracts, and non-provision of medical and insurance facilities, not being paid compensation upon death, and various other cases.

The minister also said that as on 30 June, 2019, a total of 5,804 Indians are registered for repatriation in the embassies or consulates in the Gulf countries.

On the topic of repatriation, it has come to light that following months of effort by the Indian embassy in Kuwait, along with several Indian community representatives and individuals in Kuwait and legislators in India, 44 Indians stranded in Kuwait as a result of job frauds are to be repatriated this week.

While two of the stranded persons, Abhishek Manjeshwar from Karnataka and Pankaj Kumar Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, landed in Mumbai last week, the remaining 42 people are expected to be repatriated over the course of this week, said an embassy official.

“I am finally liberated from hell and I feel blessed to be back in India. It was possible due to support from Indian Embassy in Kuwait, expats, people representative and others, who helped to get us back,” said an elated Abhishek, who landed in Mumbai on Sunday and has since made his way home where his mother was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her son boarded a bus to Mangaluru.

Indian Embassy in Kuwait confirmed that the remaining 42 members are awaiting  completion of repatriation formalities, which are expected to be completed this week enabling them to return home. The embassy said it was closely following up on the situation and would meet with Public Authority for Manpower personnel and Ministry of Interior officials to request that the procedures be expedited so that the men could return home at the earliest. As per the plans, on Monday about 25 persons will be cleared and rest the next day. They will leave for India on Tuesday, Wednesday and last batch on Thursday.

It is understood that among the remaining 42 people still awaiting repatriation, 19 are from Mangaluru, and the remaining from Andhra Pradesh and other states.

Meanwhile, it was reported that an Indian household worker has sought refuge in the embassy after escaping ordeal at the household where she was employed. The woman, Reshma Suvarna, 38, from Bengre in Karnataka alleged that for the past six months she had not been paid the salary promised to her despite having to work for upwards of 16 hours a day.

In addition, she accused the sponsor and his family of subjecting her to physical and mental harassment, and not providing her with proper food. The sponsor has also refused to give back her passport, which he was holding in contravention of the law.

The Indian embassy is understood to be taking care of Ms. Suvarna and arranging to repatriate her once the deportation formalities are completed.

In another case, the son of a Punjabi lady who had traveled to Kuwait to take up employment here, has alleged that his mother had been sold into slavery to a Pakistani family living in Kuwait by a recruiting agent in India.

Veena Bedi, the 44-year-old woman who is reportedly being held against her will in Kuwait arrived in the country a year ago to work in a household. The travel agent who recruited her for the job is reported to have sent her here on a three-month visit visa. Rohit, the son of Ms. Bedi, alleges that since six months there has been no news from his mother. His attempts to call her on the mobile phone have gone unanswered and one time a lady picked up the phone and said that they had “bought Ms. Veena for KD1,200 and not to call again.

Police in Punjab have arrested the travel agent who sent Ms. Bedi to Kuwait and the authorities are understood to be making strenuous efforts to locate and return Ms. Bedi safely back to her family in India.

 


Read Today's News TODAY... on our Telegram Channel click here to join and receive all the latest updates t.me/thetimeskuwait