JNN, Chandigarh. Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal has raised the issue of 20,000 Punjabi workers in Dubai with the Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. Passports of these workers are also deposited with their companies. These private companies forced workers out of jobs, but their passports were also not being returned. Because of this, these workers are not able to come back.
Sukhbir Badal urged the Foreign Minister to direct the Indian Embassy in Dubai to take up the issue with the Emirates authorities, so that the workers’ passports could be returned to them. He said that most of the workers had applied online for return to India but could not return due to lack of passport. He said that he had received a message from several youths that they were also ready to pay their air tickets, but the companies were not returning passports. They have requested the Center to intervene immediately in this matter.
Sukhbir said during the meeting with the External Affairs Minister that some workers can return by air, while there are thousands of workers who have spent their saved money and are not even in a position to buy a return ticket. Such naval ships can also be sent to bring them back home.
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Many companies did not pay
Sukhbir said that there have also been complaints that many companies have not even paid the salaries of the workers. He urged that a helpline should be opened in this regard, so that workers can get passports from their owners and they can return to their homeland.
