Indian`s tearful plea to government |
A video plea by an Indian man, for repatriation to India, has once again prompted discussion about the issue of the working conditions for migrants in Gulf countries.Suryabhan Vishwakarma was hired for building construction in Saudi Arabia by a recruitment agency in India. But now over a month, he claims he has been denied leave to visit his home in India, and also the company is not paying him on time. Vishwakarma claims that he was promised "Rs 1,500 salary (presumely Dirham) and 4 hours overtime in a limited company" but was forced to work as a construction labourer. They have placed him in construction line. Under Saudi law, foreign workers can`t leave the country without the permission of their employers - just one element of the Gulf system of kafala, which limits the rights of foreign workers. Several recent cases - including the story of a domestic worker who had her arm chopped off - have prompted debate about working conditions for migrant workers in the Gulf. Meanwhile, the minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj has claimed to have brought back the Indian expatriate Jagannathan Selvaraj from Dubai who walked a total of over 1,000 km for over two years to attend court proceedings in a bid to return home.
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