Gulf migrants to play vital role in Nizamabad, Karimnagar Lok Sabha Constituencies

Speaking to Telangana Today, founder and president of Pravasi Mitra Labour Union, Swadeshi said no government was bothered about the problems of Gulf labourers.

Karimnagar: Gulf migrant labourers are going to play a vital role in the polls in Nizamabad and Karimnagar parliament constituencies. After votes of farmers, those of Gulf labourers and their families are crucial for the winning prospects of the candidates, which is evident from the way in which candidates and leaders of various political parties are trying to win the minds of migrant labourers and their family members.

About three lakh people from Karimnagar and Nizamabad LS segments have migrated to UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. People from Jagtial, Korutla, Dharmapuri assembly constituencies of Jagtial district, Choppadandi and Vemulawada segments of Karimnagar and Armoor, Balkonda, Bodhan, Nizamabad Urban and Nizamabad Rural constituencies of Nizamabad district are working in various Gulf countries.

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Though they go abroad by borrowing money from private money lenders, their troubles start when they approach agents for passport, visa and other processes. The issue of fake agents has become a major problem, with victims of a Gulf agent recently staging a demonstration in Jagtial. About 50 youngsters, who went to other countries, had to return from the airport due to lack of proper documents.

Agents are duping the youth by sending them abroad on visiting visas. After expiry of visa, they have to stay there illegally. Though some migrated on job visas, they were not paid adequate salaries by companies. Unable to lead a proper life and to clear debts, they leave those companies and search for other jobs. There are also several migrants from here who are in jails in the Middle East, many of them who ended up behind bars because agents duped them without proper documents. And this is one reason why organizations working for the welfare of migrant labourers have been demanding a special Gulf policy.

Last year, members of the Gulf JAC, a forum of 24 organizations working for Gulf labourers, had contested in a few assembly segments to highlight the problems of migrant labourers.

Speaking to Telangana Today, founder and president of Pravasi Mitra Labour Union, Swadeshi said no government was bothered about the problems of Gulf labourers. Though the highest number of people have migrated from Nizamabad, local MP Dharmapuri Arvind never spoke about their issues. During the Covid pandemic, labourers lost 30 to 50 percent of their salary while excess charges were collected from labourers in Vande Bharat flights. However, the BJP MP did not take any initiative to help the labourers, he said.

Their demands include a special budget for Gulf labourers, ex gratia of Rs.5 lakh to the kin of deceased migrant workers, social security of Gulf labourers, accident insurance for both ECR and ECNR passport holders, pensions and resettlement schemes among others.