Over ten thousand Indian workers are reportedly starving for the last three days in Saudi city of Jeddah after losing their jobs and Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh is traveling to the Gulf nation to sort out the issue, External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Saturday.
Swaraj clarified the exact number to a media portal after initial reports suggested the number of Indians to be around 800.
The number of Indian workers facing food crisis in Saudi Arabia is over Ten Thousand. It is not 800 as is being reported. @JagranNews— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 30, 2016
She also appealed to 30 lakh Indians in Saudi to help their fellow brothers in this hour of need.
I appeal to 30 lakhs Indians in Saudi Arabia. Please help your fellow brothers and sisters. /1— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 30, 2016
Swaraj said the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has been directed to serve food to them and that she was monitoring the situation on an hourly basis.
Her response came following a tweet by a man who said around 800 Indians are starving for the last three days in Jeddah and sought her intervention.
We have asked @IndianEmbRiyadh to provide free ration to the unemployed Indian workers in Saudi Arabia. /4— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 30, 2016
Swaraj said Indians in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were facing various problems relating to their work and wage and that the "matters are much worse" in Saudi Arabia.
She said MoS External Affairs M J Akbar will take up the issue with Kuwait and Saudi authorities.
My colleagues @Gen_VKSingh will go to Saudi Arabia to sort out these matters and @MJakbar will take up with Kuwait and Saudi authorities./5— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 30, 2016
I assure you that no Indian worker rendered unemployed in Saudi Arabia will go without food. I am monitoring this on hourly basis.— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 30, 2016
Swaraj said a large number of Indians have lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and that their employers have not paid wages and closed down their factories.
"As a result our brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are facing extreme hardship," she said, adding while the situation in Kuwait is "manageable", matters are much "worse" in Saudi Arabia.
Later, Swaraj posted pictures of food being provided to the Indian workers.
@Imran_khokhar84 @SushmaSwaraj @Gen_VKSingh @mjakbar @ajxtopcop @123nrs Happy Indians in que 4 food stuffs at Sisten pic.twitter.com/uhUKVMVPGG— India in Jeddah (@CGIJeddah) July 30, 2016
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