From rxpgnews.com
Indian workers in Qatar assured help by Ravi
By IANS,
Apr 14, 2007 - 1:44:13 PM
Dubai, April 14 - Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has assured Indian workers in Qatar that he would take up their grievances with the concerned departments and help in easing their problems.
Ravi, who met hundreds of Indian workers at the 'Open House' convened by the Indian mission Friday, said that he would seek stern action against those indulging in illegal recruitment.
A large number of Indian workers employed in Qatar aired their grievances to Ravi, who was on a weeklong visit to Kuwait and Qatar.
Hundreds of Indians employed as drivers, construction workers and unskilled workers were present at the meeting. They blamed some Indian recruiting firms and their agents for their hardships.
India signed a labour pact with Kuwait Tuesday to ease problems faced by its nationals working in that country.
Representing about 50 employees of Karwa, the government-run taxi firm in Qatar, an Indian worker spoke about the hardships that they had been facing since their arrival in the country.
Blaming recruiting companies and their agents in India, mostly in Kerala, the worker said, like him, several other workers felt cheated and were prepared to go back.
'The company officials and their agents had held out a lot of promises while recruiting us, but we realised the folly only after reaching Qatar to take up the job,' he said.
'We have been cheated and are prepared to go back,' he added.
The expat workers submitted a memorandum seeking urgent Indian government intervention to check the illegal activities of manpower suppliers and recruitment agencies to the minister, the Gulf Times reported.
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