Let's not forget, 3 million Indian expats happily living in Saudi Arabia!

[email protected] (Coastaldigest.com Web Desk)
August 3, 2016

Jeddah, Aug 3: The Indian community in Saudi Arabia have condemned the one-sided and irresponsible reporting by a section of Indian media on labour issues between an ailing private firm and its Indian employees.

1saudi

Pointing out that about three million Indians including people from all faiths are working and living happily in Saudi Arabia, they said sacking of employees by some firms due to crisis is a rare case.

They expressed sincere thanks to the Saudi government for hosting such a huge number of non-resident Indians (NRIs), which not only constitute the largest expatriate group in the Arab Kingdom but also the largest number of Indian passport holders living anywhere in the world. They thanked the Kingdom for ensuring the safety and welfare of the Indian community.

Sadashiva Shetty, an NRI businessman from south Indian city of Udupi in Saudi Arabia, says that he did not face any discrimination in the Kingdom in past 20 years. “Nearly three decades ago, my family was one of the poorest families in my village in India. After coming to Saudi Arabia I have earned money and respect. Now, the people of my village give me royal treatment whenever I visit my home” he claims.

“I do not know why media is portraying as if all Indians in Saudi Arabia are starving to death,” wonders Siddiqui, an NRI businessman, who spent several years in Saudi Arabia. A few construction companies in the Kingdom have gone out of business due to financial constraints and it resulted in layoffs for workers of different nationalities, not only just Indians, he says.

Speaking to an Arab daily he said: “Private firms in India like Kingfisher, Sahara and many others went bankrupt and their workers lost jobs. Has the Indian government given them jobs? Forget about helping the workers, Kingfisher owner Vijay Mallya ran away from the country to evade loans repayment and the government failed to catch him.”

Abdulhaq Bastavi, an Indian IT expert, said there is no point reporting that Indians are starving or stranded here as they can solve the issue with the employer and go home. “In labour disputes, workers have the option of approaching the courts.”

Mojib Siddiqui, an Indian journalist in Saudi Arabia, claims that mainstream Indian media is planting stories on labour issues of Suadi in a deliberate attempt to shift the focus from their government, which is under fire for failing to stop violence against Dalits and Muslims. It's a ploy to appease the principal minority that they are concerned about Indian Muslims working in Saudi Arabia.”

He added: “If the situation had been alarming for Indian workers, how come remittances sent by NRIs from the Kingdom is highest?”

Mohammad Akram, a marketing head at the Saffat Aviation said the Indian media exaggerating the number to blow it out of proportion. “Laying off workers by an ailing firm is nothing new,” he said adding there are dozens of Indian firms firing their staff for financial reasons.

Comments

Irshad
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

There is a not a single Incident people killed because of eating beef or any thing else Great and Number one Saudi Arabia.

A. Mangalore
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

During my vacation , in my own city in India , after 10 pm , my car was stopped by the police and questioned several times, but in my 25 years experience , even 2 to 5 am , I was driving in the city along with my family, never ever any police man or anyone stopped my car and questioned me.
Like me thousands of Indans are earning with highest respect. We are much grateful to this country. Whatever our religious we are called here as \Hindi\" only.
Mrs. Susma Swaraj made one or two companies issue into a big
issue and mentioned that people are starving here. I don't think anyone will sleep here without food. If a person have 2 riyals is enough to buy 6 pcs of bread and youghurt , which can fill anyones stomach. people have made wrong propaganda.
In any cases Saudi nationals are more generous in distributing free food than any other countrymen."

shaji
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

Indian Media (there is exception) is only lying and fooling people to keep away from the failure of BJP Govt and from the goondagiri / terrorist activities by sangh parivar terrorist groups.

Sadashiva Shetty
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

Thanks CD for posting this report. It's timely. Everything has a positive angle too. Normally media ignores such positive angle.

aharkul
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

Best Country in Gulf is Saudi Arabia. We have freedom and no question of facing problem. And every commodities available in a cheapest rate. I am working in this country since 13 years. So far I did not get any problem either from employer or from this country.

I respect all the King who serve this country giving full support to Indian expatriates and security. It is a marvelous. We won't get such facility in any country. More over here we have a holy place to perform Umrah and Hajj. Subhaanallah. Hats off to our great king Salman who is giving good facilities to expatriate in utmost care. May Allah Subhanau Thala give him a good health and long life Aameen.

Tufail
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

but skilled and low level labors arent..... So please highlight those

Mohammed SS
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

Our India is going through such a bad era that they cannot solve their own problem, always peeping others plate, it cannot solve border problems and our eyes on Pakistan all stupid, Jobless goondas gathered in this BJP/RSS ruling they know only tying saffron ropes on hands and shoulders and all kind of nonsense believe, finally they only recognize their Mother as Cow and do not agree and recognize their own father to whom they born an OXE

Syed Mohiudin
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

I am proud to say that I am also one among 3 million those who happily living in Saudi Arabia.

Rikaz
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2016

Saudi Arabia is a peaceful country...where they give first priority on security of expatriates...people love to work and make money over there...there is no restriction on beef eating....you can eat beef as much you can....no gou rakshakas.....super dooper.....

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News Network
January 25,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 25: Orange vendor Harekala Hajabba, popularly known as 'Akshara Santha' (the saint of alphabets), who went on to build a school at Newpadpu village on the city’s outskirts in 1999 is among this year’s Padma Shri awardees.

When Hajabba received the call on being nominated for the award, he was standing in a queue to buy rations.

As he is not fluent in Hindi, Hajabba handed over the phone to an auto driver, who conveyed the news that the Padma Shri award will be conferred on him.

The unlettered achiever set up a primary school from his meagre savings of Rs 150 per day,  selling oranges in Mangaluru. 

“The first time I felt bad for being an illiterate was when a foreigner enquired about the price of oranges in English. I did not know what he meant. So, I decided to start a school in my village,” Hajabba had said during a felicitation programme.

When Hajabba decided to start a school, he did not get any support. He started the school with 28 children.

The school today has been upgraded to a composite high school and is catering to the educational needs of hundreds of children in and around Newpadpu.

He ran from pillar to post in the Zilla Panchayat to make his dream come true. All cash awards he had received went into building the school. The United Christians Association, moved by the sight of his dilapidated house, built a 760-square-foot house costing Rs 15 lakh for him. 

Hajabba’s life was prescribed for the syllabus of three universities - Davangere, Kuvempu and Mangalore. His success story is also included in a Tulu textbook.

He won the Karnataka Rajyotsava award in 2013, Real Heroes award from TV channel CNN-IBN.

Hajabba, when contacted, said he could not believe his ears when told about the award.

New dreams

The frail vendor, in his 60s, humbly declared that he could achieve all this because of the support of all. Hajabba now dreams of upgrading the school into a full-fledged PU college.

Comments

Meethal Kasaragod
 - 
Sunday, 26 Jan 2020

A big Salute to him!

Great effort,

fairman
 - 
Sunday, 26 Jan 2020

Where there is will, there is way

May God help him.

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News Network
March 11,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 11: Did Congress party’s Man Friday, DK Shivakumar, not rise up to the occasion and save the situation for the party, whose rebel MLAs were flown into Bengaluru to unsettle the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh? Shivakumar told The New Indian Express on Tuesday, “So far, I have not got any clear direction on what has to be done. But I am in touch with the central leaders. The party does not want to antagonise them... They are our own MLAs.”

He said that the Tenth Schedule, which makes defections illegal, is very strong. “It is not so easy for them once they are expelled. There are courts and then they have to get re-elected. It is not easy to get minister’s post after getting re-elected,” he added.

When pointed out that rebels from the Congress and JD(S) who joined the BJP have got re-elected and become ministers, he said, “There are other issues here.”

Asked about Digvijay Singh, who is at the centre of the controversy in MP and who was AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, not being able to prevent the rebellion in his home state, Shivakumar said, “I do not want to comment on any of our national leaders.”But he was confident that the Congress government would be saved in MP. “I am aware of the developments and keeping track of them,” he said.

Congress leaders seemed wiser after the event.

One of them, who wished not to be identified, said the party clearly did not see the writing on the wall. “Jyotiraditya Scindia supported the BJP at the Centre when it scrapped Article 370. Later too he was not in line with the Congress position on several issues. But during the recent Delhi violence, he criticised the BJP, sending confusing signals,” he added.

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News Network
February 28,2020

Kozhikode, Feb 28: Nearly 200 Umrah pilgrims from Kerala were deboarded from their flights to Saudi Arabia from Calicut international Airport here on Thursday after the gulf nation enforced a temporary ban on foreigners seeking to visit the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, following coronavirus scare.

Saudi Arabia halted travel to the holiest sites in Islam over fears about a viral epidemic just months ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, a move that came as the Mideast has over 240 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.

According to Airports Authority of India officials, as many as 84 of passengers from the Saudi Airlines and 104 from the Spice Jet Airlines were denied permission to board the flights and travel to Saudi Arabia.

However, other passengers bound to Jeddah were permitted to fly, they said.

A private tour operator here said two batches of 40 pilgrims each were denied permission to travel to Makkah to perform Umrah on February 27.

Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage that can be performed at any time of year.

"The pilgrims were denied entry by the two airlines, Spice Jet scheduled at 05.30 hrs and Saudi Airlines at 1130 hrs," Naiful Akbar, a travel agent said.

The Airport Authority of India sources said, "the passengers were asked to alight by the Spice Jet airline staff following an instruction received by them."

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