About 10,000 Indian workers are stranded in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait after being laid off from work. They have been fighting hunger every day because of lack of enough money to buy food. The crisis took place after the recent dip in crude oil prices that led to the government cutting down on its spending, which in turn put a lot of pressure on local construction firms that depend on state contracts. Eventually, struggling companies started laying off thousands of foreign workers.
In such a grim situation, the Indian government is supporting its people by making sure that they get free food items. The government is also considering a plan to evacuate the workers and junior foreign minister V K Sigh will be travelling Saudi to oversee the situation.
The Indian consulate in Jeddah distributed over 15,000 kg of food in association with the Indian community there, over the past three days.
Image source: Twitter
Ahmed Javed, the Indian Ambassador in Riyadh told The Hindu that officials are working around the clock to help stranded citizens. “We are providing immediate humanitarian assistance in terms of food and medicine to stranded Indian workers here, and at the same time meeting with the Ministry of Labour in the Saudi government to take up their concerns,” he said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj assured help for the workers in a series of tweets, also asking Indians in Suadi to help fellow countrymen:
I assure you that no Indian worker rendered unemployed in Saudi Arabia will go without food. I am monitoring this on hourly basis.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 30, 2016
“Large number of Indians have lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The employers have not paid wages closed down their factories. As a result our brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are facing extreme hardship,” she wrote.
This was followed by tweets from the Indian Consulate, sharing information on how food is reaching the stranded people:
Happy 2 share more pics of Food distribution at Highway camp on July 30, 16.CG, Jeddah wid DCG/Consul(Haj) present 2 pic.twitter.com/WwkcJIsJJ4
— India in Jeddah (@CGIJeddah) July 31, 2016
I appeal to 30 lakhs Indians in Saudi Arabia. Please help your fellow brothers and sisters. /1
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 30, 2016
The government is reportedly also discussing the possibility of paying the workers their due before they are brought back to the country.
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