Modi reaches out to Indian workers who build glitzy skyscrapers in UAE

August 17, 2015

New Delhi, Aug 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited a labour camp in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to highlight New Delhi's concern about the welfare of its migrant workers helping to build glitzy skyscrapers, hotels and museums in the oil-rich Gulf state.

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PM Modi's two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates coincides with international calls to improve workers' conditions in Gulf countries, which rely on Asian labour for mega projects such as the World Expo 2020 in Dubai and the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

Some 2.6 million Indians live and work in the UAE, according to Indian embassy figures. The embassy estimates about 60 per cent of those are blue-collar workers.

About 200 workers broke into applause when PM Modi arrived at an indoor basketball court at the labour camp in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi. PM Modi chatted with the workers, enquiring about the place and their welfare and jobs, but made no comments to the media.

The Prime Minister is due to attend a public event in Dubai on Monday with some 40,000 Indian expatriates expected to attend.

"He wants to convey that the safety, security and welfare conditions for Indian workers should not be ignored," a senior Indian government official told Reuters in New Delhi.

"The Indian government is aware that the UAE will employ thousands of Indian workers to organize the World Expo 2020, but after the recent Qatar experience, the government wants to send a clear message that India will not allow rampant exploitation of its workers."

In November, India launched a campaign for higher wages for its workers in the Gulf states. Indian diplomats raised the minimum salaries they recommend because of higher living costs.

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UAE officials, including the labour minister, have said that labour legislation in the country is in line with the UAE constitution. Laws regulate the labour market, providing protection of workers and their rights, they said.

Several measures, including mid-day breaks for workers in the country's sweltering summer heat, better healthcare facilities and accommodation have been provided across the UAE. But rights groups think a lot more needs to be done.

"Lack of proper regulation by the authorities in both India and the UAE of the booming migrant-worker recruitment industry, including visa brokers, has allowed rogue recruiting agents to cause serious human rights abuses with impunity," Salil Shetty, secretary-general of Amnesty International said.

"Some welcome improvements by the UAE over the last decade have been put in serious doubt by the crackdown on labour activists and failure to carry out meaningful reform of the kafala system, further increasing the vulnerability of migrant workers to human rights abuses."

PM Modi will be seeking to engage Abu Dhabi, one of the richest sovereign wealth funds in the world, to invest in India as well as expand cooperation in the energy sector. Abu Dhabi accounts for 9 percent of India's energy needs and India wants to increase that, the official said.

"The orientation of the Gulf countries has always been towards US and Europe, but the prime minister wants to highlight the benefits of investing in India and he wants to engage Abu Dhabi on long-term projects," the official said.

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February 20,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 20: Leaving the organisers of an event to protest against the CAA, NRC and NRP here red-faced, a young woman on Thursday reportedly raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan in the presence of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who denounced her action and asserted "we are for India".

The woman, identified as Amulya, allegedly asked people to shout with her "Pakistan Zindabad" after the organisers of the event under the banner of "Save Constitution" invited her to address the gathering soon after Owaisi came on the stage.

Soon Owaisi rushed to snatch the mike from her hands and was joined by others who tried to remove her from the state.

But the woman was adamant and raised the slogan again repeatedly. Later, the police stepped in and removed her from the dais.

Owaisi then addressed the gathering, saying he did not agree with the woman.

"Neither me nor my party has any link with her. We denounce her. The organisers should not have invited her here. If I knew this, I would not have come here. We are for India and we no way support our enemy nation Pakistan. Our entire drive is to save India," the AIMIM MP said.

JD(S) corporator Imran Pasha claimed she was planted by some rival group to disrupt the event.

The woman, he said, was not in the list of speakers and demanded that the police investigate the matter seriously.

Sources say Amulya hails from Chikkamagaluru and her parents have always been in the forefront of taking on government and its policies for well over a decade. 

As per local TV reports, the student was taken to Upparpet police station, but later shifted to an undisclosed destination for more questioning.

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News Network
March 26,2020

Hubballi, Mar 25: The people living in rural areas of North-Karnataka region have become more aware about deadly Corona virus as they are leaving no stone unturned to prevent people of Bengaluru and other metropolitan cities from entering into their villages. People have put thorny plants on all roads at the outskirts connecting their villages and deployed youths to conduct patrolling round the clock till next 21 days.

Their motto is to prevent their own villagers getting infected from the outsiders especially from cities like Bengaluru and other two-tier cities where positive virus cases are on the rise. They have also take precautionary measures in the wake of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's call to the people to return to their native places.

Several people have also dug up the roads leading to their villages to block the entry of outside vehicles. They have put a condition to the outsiders to enter into their villages only after proper health check-up to confirm that they are not infected with Corona positive.

"We don't have access to the proper medical care if Corona virus is entered into our village. The Primary Health Centres are not functioning properly and these centers are facing lack of adequate staff and medical equipments unlike in big cities.Therefore, those who have deserted our village to employ in various jobs in Bengaluru and other cities should confirm that they are tested negative for the virus", said Mallikarjun Patil of Kudal village in Hangal taluk of Haveri district. The village has totally banned the outsiders into their village and warned their fellow villagers to return immediately if they have visited to their relatives' homes in neighboring villages to observe 21-day lockdown.

Hundreds of youths in Itanal village of Chikkodi taluk of Belagavi have also resorted to similar tactics and patrolling in all roads at the outskirts by holding sticks to prevent outsiders from entering into their village until April 14.

People of Hunagunti village in Ron taluk and Kotamuchagi village in Gadag taluk have also adopted similar plan by parking tractors at th outskirts to prohibit the entry of outsiders. They have also created awareness in their villages by beating drums urging the people not to venture outside village for next three weeks.

The police officials have resorted to lati-charge at various places in urban areas when people gathered in large numbers to buy essential commodities.

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News Network
April 17,2020

Madikeri, Apr 17: A person who had returned from Spain in March was subjected to home quarantine on Thursday in Sowarpet in Kodagu district.

The person had arrived at Bengaluru on March 16 and went to Balele. Yesterday, he came to his estate house in Kumburu village in Somwarpet.

Availing the information, Tahsildar Govindaraju, police officials and health department staff visited the spot and gathered the necessary information.

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