Women workers exploited and abused by employers, says Palle Raghunatha Reddy.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
A minister from Andhra Pradesh has sought the help of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to help bring back women who are exploited by employers and suffering in the jails of Gulf countries.
According to a Reuters report, Palle Raghunatha Reddy, minister for non-resident Indian welfare, has written a letter to MEA Minister Sushma Swaraj urging to help such women.
“Necessary steps should be initiated to bring them to their native areas safely by providing free travel and necessary visa documents at the earliest possible (opportunity). Instructions should be issued to Indian embassy officials in Gulf countries to interfere in the matter and provide necessary help in terms of food, clothing and shelter,†Reddy was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Most of the women from villages go to Gulf countries to take up jobs as maidservant and domestic help. But, many times they are cheated by recruiters, and abused by employers.
Many reports have cited Indian women being harassed and abused by their employers and sponsors in the Gulf. Many of them end up in jail when they try to flee their employer.
Some of them overstay on a tourist visa and may not be able to pay the fine to be paid to return. Government records say that about six million Indians are working in the six Gulf countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman. But the government doesn’t have any records of migrants stranded in the Gulf countries.
Reddy has stated in his letter that women from the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana “are being sold like products in a retail shop.â€
“Women are being sold to the tune of 400,000 rupees ($6,000) in Saudi Arabia and between 100,000 ($1,500) to 200,000 rupees ($3,000) in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait,†he wrote.