MARGAO: Chandrakant Sinari of Sanvordem lost his job when mining operations were shut down in 2012. Last year he went to the Gulf in search of greener pastures, but ended up discovering that the deserts of Saudi Arabia could be most unwelcoming.
Chandrakant’s family in Goa says he has not been paid for the past eight months, and is living in the truck that he drives and struggles for food and water, while his employer holds his passport virtually keeping him a hostage.
His wife Manjusha Sinari said, “My husband has not received his salary for the last eight months. There are another five men with him in the same job and they too face the same situation. All six have been living in the truck they are driving as they have not been given shelter.”
When the family complained to NRI Affairs Director UD Kamat about Chandrakant’s fate, few more similar cases came to light.
One of these is of Pariyem resident Ramita Ghadi who was cheated by a fake employment agent and has written to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and NRI Affairs commission to free her from her employment. Like in Chandrakant’s case, her passport too has been retained by her employer.
The NRI Affairs Commission has sent another reminder to the Saudi Arabian authorities and to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. “We can’t act without receiving their reply to our correspondence,” Kamat said.
Manjusha, who is in touch with Chandrakant through internet calling, said, “They have no money with them and this has forced them to stay without food and water for days. There are no facilities at the place they have been sent to drive the trucks. They cannot complain to the embassy as they are thousands of kilometres away from the closest city.”
With tears streaming down her eyes she added, “My husband was being beaten with iron rods. Badly bruised he needed medical attention but did not receive any. The tyrant contractors sent him to drive a water tanker in the same bruised condition.”
Sources said two Nepali men in a similar situation attempted to escape to their embassy but were caught and haven’t been seen since then.
Similarly, Ramita Ghadi who had applied for a tourist visa through a Mumbai-based agent had gone to Kuwait as a housemaid. Ramita has complained that she has been facing mental and physical torture by her employer who has also not given her medical help.
Angered, Ramita has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. Kamat said he has already replied to the Commission on this.
