VISAKHAPATNAM: It has been 45 days since the 24 workers from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha were stranded in Riyadh of Saudi Arabia. Yet, no official or job agent are making efforts to bring them back to India. “We are still being forced to go back to work at Aamal Al Muqawil Contracting Company (AMCO) or else, they say, we need to pay 12,600 riyals each to the company,” one of the stranded workers told Express over phone on Saturday.
The workers were previously supported by social workers to get their exit letters and the Indian Embassy had promised to process the papers to ensure their safe return to India. Now, the workers allege that even the embassy and job agents are asking them to rejoin the AMCO.
“Even the embassy officials have asked us to pay 12,600 riyals each to the company, citing that the company had spent money on visa processing and other things. They are also warning us that the company would make us stay back, even if we get the exit letters by the help of the government,” said the worker.
The workers said that they were now living in a congested room and arranging their food by taking help of local friends.
“A week ago, the Voltech Company official had given us 1,680 riyals towards daily expenses. Almost daily, we are doing the rounds of the embassy,” he added.
Even the agent who had sent them to Saudi Arabia is persuading them to go back to the company. “The job agents are asking us to go back to work,” the worker said.Meanwhile, the families of the labourers are approaching the local people’s representatives and organising meetings to make people aware of their plights.