Saudi govt intervenes to help stranded Indian expats, vows necessary action

August 3, 2016

Riyadh, Aug 3: Saudi Arabia today agreed to swiftly resolve plight of thousands of laid-off Indian workers including providing them free passage to return to India and clearing their unpaid dues after Union Minister V K Singh apprised the Saudi government about the humanitarian crisis.

1indosaudi

The Minister of State for External Affairs held extensive talks with Saudi Labour Minister Mufrej Al Haqbani here who promised urgent action to resolve the difficulties being faced by around 7,000 Indians, most of whom are living in camps after losing their jobs due to economic slowdown in the oil-rich Gulf country.

The Saudi government also agreed to allow transfer of Indian employees, who have lost their jobs, to any other company within Saudi Arabia.

Singh arrived here today to assess the situation and finalise modalities to bring back the stranded Indian workers who even do not have money to buy food.

As per reports, the Labour Minister issued orders to allow the Indian workers to immediately transfer their sponsorship (kafala) and renew their residencies. Under the kafala system, which is applicable to foreign workers, employees are not allowed to move to a new job without approval of their bosses.

"We discussed all the issues related to Indian workers. It was brought out that the problem is because of one company which has not provided the humanitarian facilities as per the law of the land.

"The government of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken serious note of this lapse and have taken immediate action to ensure that all camps where Indian workers were staying are provided facilities like medical, food, hygiene and sanitation," Singh said, describing his meeting with Haqbani as "very good".

Satisfied over Haqbani's response, Singh said he was thankful to the Saudi government for "very positive action and maganimous attitude".

Singh said Saudi government is also providing free passage to all those who want to go back to India and that they will also honour the claims filed by workers against the companies which have defaulted their payments.

"They have also agreed to allow transfer (of employees) to any other company within Saudi Arabia. Necessary action is in hand by the embassy of India to prepare suitable lists for filing claims as well as for people to go back. I am thankful to the Saudi government for very positive action and magnanimous attitude exhibited," Singh said.

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Comments

Maruthi veethika
 - 
Thursday, 4 Aug 2016

HATS OFF SAUDI ARABIA for its initiatives for INDIAN Expats

Suleman Beary
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

Why Saudi Govt. is not taking action against that one company because that belongs to Son of Late Rafiq Hariri of Lebanon.

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News Network
March 9,2020

Mangaluru, Mar 9: A person who arrived at the airport in Mangaluru from Dubai and was admitted to the isolation ward of a hospital with symptoms of coronavirus has gone missing, sources said.

The patient, who arrived on Sunday, was shifted to the district Wenlock hospital with a high fever and a few symptoms of coronavirus.

He reportedly argued with the hospital staff late in the night that he had not contracted the virus and left the hospital saying he will take treatment in a private hospital.

The hospital health officer called up the police and a high alert has been sounded in coastal districts to locate the person who has 'escaped' from the hospital.

Dakshina Kannada district health officer Sikandar Pasha had earlier said the patient will be kept under observation for 24 hours and will be discharged after routine tests.

The district health department on Monday lodged a complaint with the Mangaluru police station and investigation is on.

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News Network
March 2,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 2: The Karnataka Department of Public Instruction has directed the School heads across the State to grant leave to students and staff suffering from fever, cold, cough and other respiratory infections.

As precautionary measure following the COVID-19 (known as coronavirus) outbreak at the global level, the department issued a circular in this regard here on Monday.

If any student, teacher or staff is suffering from respiratory infections, they should be granted leave. They should be allowed to come back to school only after confirming from the doctor that they are cured, the circular added.

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News Network
February 26,2020

Mumbai, Feb 26: Targetting Shiv Sena's silence over the recent controversial remark by AIMIM leader Waris Pathan, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party might be "wearing bangles" but the BJP was not and knew how to retaliate in the same manner.

"Shiv Sena might be wearing bangles but we are not. If someone says something then he will be given an answer in the same way. BJP has this much power," said Fadnavis while launching a scathing attack on ruling-Shiv Sena in Maharashtra for not taking strict action against Pathan.

Fadnavis was addressing protestors at Azad Maidan where BJP launched a protest against Maharashtra government over issues related to farmers and women.

On February 20, while addressing an anti-CAA rally, at Kalaburagi in Karnataka, Pathan had said, "time has now come for us to unite and achieve freedom. Remember we are 15 crore but can dominate over 100 crores."

"They tell us that we have kept our women in the front - only the lionesses have come out and you are already sweating. You can understand what would happen if all of us come together," he had said.

Facing flak over his remarks Pathan later took back his words and had said he had not targeted any community but had spoken against members of some organisations.

"If any of my words have hurt someone, I take them back as I am a true Indian," Pathan said at a press conference here.

The AIMIM leader said that he was being portrayed as being anti-Indian and anti-Hindu for the past couple of days.

"I want to say that my earlier statement was basically against people who are members of organisations like RSS, BJP, Bajrang Dal, etc. These 100 are those people who want to divide this beautiful nation," he added.

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