NRIs must respect local laws, says Indian MP

Saudi Arabia is no exception when it comes to respecting the law, according to Indian parliamentarian Jayaprakash Hegde. “The Nitaqat (naturalization) system must be respected by Indian expatriates since it has become part of Saudi law,” he said.
Hegde is from the city of Managlore in the Karnataka state of India, a city from where a large number of expatriate workers and businessmen in the Kingdom originate. Hegde represents the parliamentary (Lok Sabha) constituency of Udupi Chikmagalur in the Indian parliament.
He spoke to Arab News during a short visit to the Kingdom, saying that the Nitaqat system and Labor Ministry decisions form part of internal government matters and that it is inappropriate for others to speak against it.
The MP said that the time limit for implementation, which will affect hundreds of thousands of expatriate workers, is a matter of concern for Indian parliamentarians, adding that he voiced these views to Indian Ambassador Hamid Ali Rao when he met with him in Riyadh last week.
Hegde said that several Indian parliamentarians have received letters of concern from Indian workers in Saudi Arabia who have requested for him to speak on their behalf before the Indian government. During his visit to Dammam last week, Hegde received numerous requests from NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) from the state of Karnataka on the matter.
“A huge number of Indian expatriate workers are languishing in deportation centers in Saudi Arabia due to a lack of documentation,” he said. “I have requested that the Indian Embassy send requests for information to district officers and higher police authorities for cases concerning NRIs from Karnataka. Furthermore, I have personally spoken with the Karnataka chief secretary to issue directives to district officials to expedite the verification process upon receipt of any requests from Indian diplomatic missions in the Kingdom in order to issue emergency certificates and facilitate speedy deportation back home to India.”
Hegde added that parliamentarians have persuaded Air India to operate direct flights from Dammam to Mangalore and that they are now requesting the operation of direct flights from Jeddah to Manglore. As a result, Air India has seen a significant increase in their profits this year.
NRIs from Mangalore constitute the largest percentage of overseas Indian workers living in Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia.
Hegde has pledged that he would request the Chief Minister to revamp the current NRI unit for addressing grievances upon his return to India, acknowledging that it has thus far failed to achieve its purpose.
The MP was hosted by organizations for the state of Karnataka during his visit to Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah.