The State and Central Governments are keen on realising a ‘Saudi Model’ settlement in the case of expatriates facing trouble in Kuwait also, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Friday. He also said that the interests of a huge Malayali population staying in Kuwait could not be forgotten when taking up the cause of a relatively few exited persons.
“We cannot wage a war with Kuwait. What we can look at are friendly ways to arrive at a settlement and thereby ensure the interests of the entire expatriates,’’ Chandy said.
Chandy was replying to a plea to admit an adjournment motion and discuss the grave crisis facing many expatriates in Kuwait, in the Assembly. K V Abdul Khader (CPM) said that reports were pouring in that many workers were being rounded up by the Kuwaiti police, even when they had valid documents, jailed and deported to India.
“In cells which can house 30 persons, more than 100 are stuffed,’’ he charged. He took strong exception to the reaction of Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi that he was not aware of any issue in Kuwait.
“He is a shame. He should resign,’’ he demanded. He was also highly critical of the fact that Suresh Mehta, the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, had been on long leave when the issue of expatriates surfaced in Kuwait.
‘’The Keralite work force in the Gulf region are being neglected for long. There is no crisis management mechanism in the Centre to deal with the crisis confronting expatriates, when it is very clear that the issue is bound to have its impact everywhere in the Gulf region shortly,’’ he charged.
NORKA Minister K C Joseph pleaded for restraint from all concerned. We are dealing with other countries, which are governed by its own laws, he said.
“The Union Government had effectively intervened in Saudi Arabia, on the Nitaquat issue. Union Ministers Salman Khurshid, E Ahmed and Vayalar Ravi had played an effective role in alleviating the sufferings of the expatriates. An amnesty period has been declared which will end by July 3. Contrary to inflated reports of a likely exodus of lakhs of expatriates, only 6,000 have registered so far. They are expected to return soon,’’ the Minister said.