COVID-19: EAM has promised to bring back stranded Indians from Gulf, claims IUML

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty on Wednesday claimed that the External Affairs Ministry has assured him of bringing back Indians stranded in the the Gulf region amid the COVID-19 travel ban.

The ministry will also consider authorising Indian missions abroad to utilise the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) for the welfare of COVID-19 affected Indians there, the Lok Sabha member from Malappuram, Kerala said.

Kunhalikutty, who was talking to PTI over phone, said the latest development was the result of his writing a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the plight of expatriate Indians abroad, particularly unskilled labourers, in view of corona scare.

"There is no proper place to stay or availability of food and water for them despite the fact that many of them have already lost their jobs," he said.

The MP, who also wrote individual letters to the Indian ambassadors to Saudi Arabia and UAE on the issue, said the government should proactively intervene to ensure well-being of Indians and make arrangements for their early return.

Saudi Arabia and UAE have lakhs unskilled Indian labourers, particularly those belonging to Kerala, he said.

"I am getting panic calls daily seeking Indian government's help from the region and other European countries too," he said.

The IUML leader also stressed on the necessity of Indian missions to work along with the Indian welfare organisations like Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) who are active in the Gulf region.