Lok Sabha Question No. 360 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-17
Subject: Torture of Indian Workers
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.360 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.07.2019

## TORTURE OF INDIAN WORKERS

## *360. SHRI ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether the Government has any data on the Indian workers in Gulf countries who are victims of torture by their sponsors and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Embassies/  Consulates  have  adequate  staff  to support these distressed workers and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the number of distressed Indian workers registered for repatriation in the Embassies/Consulates in Gulf countries;
- (d) whether the Government has received any complaints against the Indian embassy staff from these affected workers; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (DR. SUBRAHMANYAM JAISHANKAR)

- (a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) to (E) OF THE LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  360 REGARDING 'TORTURE OF INDIAN WORKERS' FOR ANSWER ON 17.07.2019.

(a) As per information given by our Missions and Posts in the Gulf countries, the number of complaints by Indian workers due to various reasons are as follows:

|   S. No. | Country              |   2016 |   2017 |   2018 |   2019 (as on 30.6.2019) |
|----------|----------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------------------------|
|        1 | Bahrain              |    693 |    792 |    734 |                      450 |
|        2 | Qatar                |   2747 |   3328 |   3244 |                     1459 |
|        3 | Saudi Arabia         |   8912 |   8447 |   8272 |                     2244 |
|        4 | Oman                 |   2245 |   4144 |   3594 |                     1764 |
|        5 | Kuwait               |   4187 |   4481 |   3287 |                     2377 |
|        6 | United Arab Emirates |   2368 |   3756 |   2153 |                     1477 |

Most of the complaints received from and on behalf of Indian workers are regarding non-payment  of  salaries  and  denial  of  legitimate  labour  rights  and  benefits  such  as  nonissuance/renewal  of  residence  permits,  non-payment/grant  of  overtime  allowance,  weekly holidays, longer working hours, refusal to grant exit/re-entry permits for visit to India, refusal to allow the worker on final exit visa after completion of their contracts and non-provision of medical and insurance facilities, not being paid compensation upon death, etc.

(b) There are 42 India based officers and 202 India based staff deployed in 11 Missions and Posts in the Gulf countries. They are assisted by 354 local employees. The requirement of manpower  in  any  establishment  changes  depending  upon  varying  workload  from  time  to time. Ministry of External Affairs regularly reviews the requirement of manpower at various levels  in  Missions  and  Posts  abroad  as  well  as  at  the  Headquarters,  and  takes  appropriate action as per the requirement.

(c ) The  country-wise numbers  of workers who  registered for repatriation in the Embassies/ Consulates in Gulf countries are as under.

|   S. No. | Country              |   2016 |   2017 |   2018 |   2019 (as on 30.6.2019) |
|----------|----------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------------------------|
|        1 | Bahrain              |    455 |    608 |    546 |                      285 |
|        2 | Qatar                |   2747 |   1985 |   2387 |                     1138 |
|        3 | Saudi Arabia         |   3030 |   1747 |   5078 |                     1104 |
|        4 | Oman                 |   2012 |   1735 |   1036 |                      665 |
|        5 | Kuwait               |   4086 |   4406 |   3208 |                     2330 |
|        6 | United Arab Emirates |    401 |    568 |    643 |                      282 |

(d) No.

(e ) Does not arise.

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