The unexpected lockdown to prevent spread of covid–19 has caused a serious damage to the lives of Indian expatriates irrespective of laborers and entrepreneurs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Different stories of expatriates' ordeals are emerging from the region.
Abdul Razaq, hailing from Udupi in Karnataka has been running small scale business at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, based on oil refinery projects of the government. He was undergoing medical treatment for his cancer which is in fist stage. He explaines his ordeals caused by lockdown and stopping the flight facility.
“I was regularly visiting home country for the treatment of cancer. Now I cannot go as international flight service has been stopped. I expect that government will hear problems of expatriates and will arrange facilities to take us back to home”, he said.
Mubeen from Bengaluru was working on temporary basis for a company in Jubail. He had lost his jobs like some of his colleagues due to the lockdown.
“As everything was alright, I had brought my parents recently to Saudi Arabia on a visit visa. Things changed drastically with covid-19 attack. Continuous lockdown caused burden over the company and they removed temporary employees like me to control possible losses” he said.
“Now owner of the flat has been harassing me for the rent. I do not have money either to pay rent or to cover daily family expenses. I do not know what to do further”, he added.
Iqbal from Mangaluru left for Saudi Arabia to help his family. He got a job in a juce centre in Dammam recently. Corona lockdown made his life difficult. He is eager to return his home country.
“I came to Saudi Arbia because of financial difficulties as I had not found any job with good salary there. I thought I can earn well by going to Saudi Arabia. However, here too the salary was not so good. Now juice center is closed due to lockdown and sponsor is giving very small amount of money as salary through which we cannot afford our expenses and our families back in home,” he said.
“Here It is not easy get help of fellow Indians since most of them have their own ordeals. I would like to return home country; there however we can manage to get help of friends and relatives. I am looking forward the help of Indian government to start air facility for stranded NRIs,” he said.
Mohsin from Mysuru is a taxi driver in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He was earning on commission basis. Now Saudi government banned movement of taxis in the region, which pushed him and his fellow taxi drivers into trouble.
“We were earning commissions daily on the basis of trips. Now we cannot move outside with taxi since it may cause us to pay the fine of SR.10000. How can I manage my expenses and family members in home?”, he asked.
There are cases of pregnant women who have to return India for delivery. Those who brought family here on visit visa will not have insurance. Delivery charges and any kind of medical facilities without insurance in Saudi Arabia is very expensive. Expatriate Indians with such problems are awaiting government's help.
“I had brought my wife on one year visit visa. Now she is pregnant and I have to send her back to home for delivery. If lockdown continues, it is difficult to send back and we have to spend big amounts for delivery without insurance. It is a big burden to me as I work for small salary in a company”, said Yunus from Hyderabad, who is living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Lockdown is haunting even entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. Most of expatriates in the industrial hub of Jubail are doing business based on Saudi Government’s oil refinery projects. Saudi Arabia temporarily stopped most of the projects as part of public health safety measures to maintain social distance.
“We are doing business based on oil refinery projects. Now projects are stopped. We brought around 1100 people on work permit visa on temporary basis. And also, we have around 1200 permanent workers. It is a big burden to provide them with food, accommodation and salary. It may cause a big loss for our company”, said owner of expatriates company, Sheikh Mohammed.
Saudi Arabia had reported first corona virus affected case in March 2, 2020. At the end of March, it was 1600 and now it already corssed 6000. Saudi Health ministry has cautioned the number of affected people may rise 10000 to 200,000 and directed for more precautionary measures. In such case, the Indian expatriates may have to face crisis in the region.
Indian expatriate organizations are demanding for immediate intervention of Indian government to ensure better quarantine facility and treatment of NRIs in Saudi Arabia as the cases are increasing rapidly. The condition of laborers in some of the camps are such that seven to eight people should share a single bed room.
“Normally if there is a flat, it will consist three to four bed rooms. In single bedroom companies will provide three four bunk beds and six to eight people should share the room. In such cases, if a person affected with virus it will spread quickly to others. Thus, Indian government should ensure quarantine facility for NRIs”, says Wasim Rabbani, president of Indian Social Forum, Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia.
President of Karnataka Non Residential Indians, A forum for the NRI organizations of Karnataka, Zakaria Muzain says Indian Government should immediately interfere to bring back those stranded NRIs who wish to return home. Government should intervene to pressure Indian embassy to take the issues of troubled expatriates.
“Government should make special flight arrangement for such NRIs in trouble. It should also arrange quarantine facility for those who return to India. Already there are many Non-Governmental charity organization which have come forward to give their facilities for NRIs”, he said.
NRIs from all categories are looking forward for the help of Indian government. It is important to Indian government to take quick action as the problem is increasing in Saudi Arabia.
Addressing a press meet in Sirsi on Sunday Mr Hegde had stated that the religion of Islam should be wiped out and claimed that terrorism could not be uprooted as long as Islam existed in this world.
Comments
Welcome back Mohammed Mangalore.
Every person have their own choice of selecting the method of protest. I have selected writing on forums as I cannot do what you wanted, as I am aged enough. You being a hench man of Masood, may remember recently Poojary indirectly taunted Masood, for being MLC at his helm, failures for congress party recent Zilla and Taluk Panchayats. I bet you Masood cannot get 100 votes if he contest for next MLA election. And even MLC.
Finally I don't need teachings from you as you are immaterial to me.
Dear UTK saab, Kindly Kindly Kindly dont urge... or wait for POLICE to file SUO MOTO....
Kindly ORDER for the ACTION on him thru your government and appeal HEGDE's arrest notice to Loksabha speaker.. then we can believe you.
many urges from you people show up to DK public llike PRABHAKAR BHAT ARREST bu noting happened till the moment...
Ibrahim Hussain Udupi, It is just for you to request muslims to keep quiet as you being in Udupi are scared of the repurcation you will go through if you stand up against these people. Come on gather some guts and come out openly to condemn this speech. It is easy for you give lectures. Be a strong muslim or are you the one who knows only to back stab and talk nonsense about your own community people.
CONGRESS HAVE NO GUTS TO TAKE ACTION, SEE YOU ALL, ITS 100% SURE.. CONGRESS IS DEPENDENT 90% MUSLIMS VOTES, BUT THEY DONT WANT MUSLIMS DEVELOPMENT AND HAPPINESS, THEY ARE USING ONLY VOTE BANK.
as per great tradition of modi govt he should be soon rewarded with some ministry..ache Din.. here it is !
Mister M-ad P-erson, wouldnt have even tried reading his holy book Bhagwat Geetha,else he wouldnt have spoken false/ill about other religions. I dont want to mention anything more, its a waste of my time.
This is Kaat Bunta.
He is not representing all Hindus, nor this is the message of any Hindu.
The more they provocate, the more ISLAM grows.
The big protest and reaction started in US afer 9/11, what happened.
Happened is more Americans specially women embraced ISLAM.
The same will happen in India. Just Watch, you can not fool educated people.
BROTHER RAHUL,
HOW YOU WILL FEEL IF I SAY THERE WILL BE NO PEACE IN WORLD IF WE DID NOT ERADICATE THE RELIGION WHICH YOU BELONGS TO... DO YOU STILL SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IN IT BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE FROM YOUR RELIGION INVOLVED IN MURDER RAPE AND TERROR ATTACKS
I guess he forgot he is talking about world's second largest religion! Might he needs some knowledge about Islam. Let him mock on the religion, his creator will give him a knock out too..
Why all the from same....... makes this type of comments?
BJP/RSS have some active pracharaks throughout India give hate speeches against Islam and Muslims. Even Narendra Modi himself RSS pracharak, made some comments on muslim regarding reservations during the Bihar Election rally. Yesterday in Agra, Mr. Kataria, BJP MP made similar provocations SPEECH in UP. This is a normal practice of RSS/BJP camp. When it comes protests, both slip away from their utterances and say that is their personal views and nothing to do with party and RSS.
Ananth Kumar is non performing MP of UKannada district, there is an unhappiness from the voters even BJP sympathizers and his utterances against Islam and Muslims nothing but a show. However, Muslims should not provoked from his statements and maintain peace and harmony. We will have to see the action from the State Government, specifically home minister Dr. Parameshwar and CM Sidda Ramayya.
YES MR.RAHUL,
U R RIGHT, SEE THE MALEGAO,OTHER BLASTS LIKE MECCA MASJID, ALL MUSLIMS ARE ARRESTED.. but.. I MEAN SADHVI SINGH, PUROHIT....SHAME ON YOU...
Good to see that minister is taking action against this ignorant...
defaming other relegious s totally wrong, he must be punished,
Let's wait & see what action will our Congress govt. takes, i'm sure it won't take..., unless we change our system by adding/ bringing AAP or SDPI to political track (bcoz people are tired of watching old two parties blame-games)
It is time for Congress Government to take action. If you want to keep your vote bank alive, then the Government must take action against this Naalayak, Hatred Communal MP.
just for publicity, media simply giving publicity to them, this kind of statement should be ignored.
its totally unfair to tell to wipe out islam from the world first he have to wipe out his mind and heart.
Now Modi will provide Z+ Security to this Poor Guy Who is Struggling for FAME.Like Subramanya Swami.
He has challenged his own CREATOR.After all he is a CREATURE.
Will suffer badly life after DEATH (In sha allah)
Only Complaint, nothing to do this congress government. Now Congress is power in state, but they are not intrested to take action.. only giving statement for his vote bank politics. They have no guts.
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