RIYADH: A group of Indian workers who had complained to their mission in Riyadh about ill treatment by their sponsor were thrown out of their accommodation yesterday as a punitive measure.
“We came here as workers for a recruitment company and were asked to live on an open terrace at the top of the company’s office building in the Janadriya area where there was no electricity,” one of the workers, Manoj Kumar, told Arab News yesterday. “When our sponsor learned that we have made a complaint to the Indian mission here, we were forced to leave the place.” The workers had paid 100,000 Indian rupees each (about $2,100) to a recruitment company in India and were contracted for employment as cleaners in supermarkets, hospitals and banks. Upon arrival, however, the workers were sent to clean a chemical tank in Jubail. “In response to our complaint, the Indian Embassy contacted our sponsor and told him to give us the basic facilities, such as food, proper shelter and salaries,” Kumar said. “Now we are on the streets, without shelter, food — and even without the relevant identity papers.”
The Federation of Kerala Associations (FOKASA) has submitted a written petition to the governmental Human Rights Commission to persuade the sponsor to provide proper accommodation. “The commission has promised to take all necessary steps to end the plight of the workers,” said FOKASA Chairman R. Muraleedharan. The FOKASA also submitted petitions to the Protector of Emigrants, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and others requesting them to pressure the Indian labor recruiter based in Mumbai to settle the matter without further problems. The group also requested that the embassy give temporary identification letters to the workers until the case is settled. The victims are Ilyas, Puthukkudipparamb, Manoj Kumar, Ratheesh Kumar, Mohammed Rafeeq from Kerala state and Surar Ahammed from Uttar Pradesh.
