New Delhi, (PTI) In a humanitarian crisis, over 10,000 Indian
workers in Saudi Arabia are facing severe food shortage due to financial
hardship after losing their jobs and the government has ordered its
mission in the Gulf nation to provide food to them besides other assistance.
Late in the evening, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj appealed
to 30 lakhs Indians in that country to help their "fellow brothers
and sisters", asserting that there is nothing "mightier" than the
collective will of the Indian nation.
"We have asked @IndianEmbRiyadh to provide free ration to the unemployed
Indian workers in Saudi Arabia," she said in a series of tweets.
Swaraj said Indians in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were facing various
problems relating to their work and wages and that the "matters are
much worse" in the former.
Her initial response came following a tweet by a man who said around
800 Indians were starving for the last three days in Jeddah and sought
her intervention.
However, later, she said "The number of Indian workers facing food
crisis in Saudi Arabia is over ten thousand. It is not 800 as is
being reported." Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh
will soon travel to the Gulf nation to assess severity of the problem
and try to resolve it.
"I assure you that no Indian worker rendered unemployed in Saudi
Arabia will go without food. I am monitoring this on hourly basis,"
she said. Swaraj said a large number of Indians have lost their jobs
in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and that their employers have not paid
wages and closed down their factories.
"As a result our brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
are facing extreme hardship," she said, adding while the situation
in Kuwait is "manageable", matters are much "worse" in Saudi Arabia.
Swaraj said MoS external affairs M J Akbar will take up the issue
with Kuwait and Saudi Arabian authorities. "My colleagues @Gen_VKSingh
will go to Saudi Arabia to sort out these matters and @MJakbar will
take up with Kuwait and Saudi authorities."
The Indian Consulate officials have already left for a highway camp
near Jeddah where hundreds of workers need assistance.
The Consulate, in association with the Indian Community in Jeddah,
has already distributed 15,475 kgs of food stuff and other items.
"I appeal to 30 lakhs Indians in Saudi Arabia. Please help your
fellow brothers and sisters. There is nothing mightier than the collective
will of Indian nation," Swaraj said
