Srikakulam workers send SOS from Bahrain; minister Appalaraju assures help
Unable to bear the workload and wage cuts, Srikakulam workers in Bahrain call their relatives and family members for help.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 13 Sep 2021 1:37 PM GMT
Visakhapatnam: Unable to bear the workload and wage cuts, Srikakulam workers in Bahrain call their relatives and family members for help. They all belong to Palasa Mandal in the district which is represented by the minister for fisheries and animal husbandry, Seedari Appalaraju.
They have been sending distress video clips to their family for the last few days. Sources said some of the workers from Palasa found contract work at an oil rig in Bahrain. They were put under quarantine for some time soon after landing and later assigned the work. The workload was heavy, more than what they had been told by the agent, and the salary was much less than what the contract mentioned.
After he was told about the videos, minister Appalaraju called the workers and inquired about their well-being. He told them that if they were unable to continue working, they could call him immediately. He said he would talk to the government and make all arrangements to fly them back home.
The minister also said he would talk to AP Non-Resident Telugu Association to take up the issue with the Bahrain government if the problems got serious.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has written to external affairs minister S. Jaishankar about Indian workers being ill-treated by their employers in Bahrain. Jagan sought the assistance of the Centre for the return of the workers to their hometowns.
In a letter to the Central minister on Monday, Jagan pointed out that among the impacted workers, a sizable number were from Andhra Pradesh.
"The government of Andhra Pradesh will extend all possible support to the government of India in repatriating the affected workers belonging to Andhra Pradesh from Bahrain. I request the officials from your office to reach out to the resident commissioner, Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, or officers from my office for any assistance needed for repatriating affected workers belonging to Andhra Pradesh," he wrote.
