Government's unjustifiable apathy towards Non Resident Kannadigas in Saudi Arabia
“Non-resident Indians” (NRIs) in a broad sense are those who give light to others by getting burnt in the process. When unemployment was raging at home, these NRIs sought work in Gulf countries in scorching weather conditions, and provided relief to people and towns they had left behind. The country has always been very appreciative of the contributions of the NRIs. During their visits abroad, all the Prime Ministers of our country have held special meetings with NRIs and thanked them for their contributions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, especially, has taken special interest and has held several meetings with NRIs and asked them to play a crucial role in India’s development. NRIs have helped the country’s foreign exchange reserves grow. Coastal Karnataka’s path of development is owed in large measure to the money, sweat, and blood of those toiling in Gulf. NRIs are also responsible for the coastal district’s numero uno performance in the field of education and health.
In 1980s, while one section of Kannadigas migrated to Mumbai in search of jobs, another section moved to the Gulf countries. Today, not only has that Non-Resident Kannadigas community grown and flourished, it has also developed its hometowns. But Corona has now changed everything and has created a storm in the lives of those working in Mumbai and Gulf countries. People who worked for their motherland in the sweltering sun are looking for succor from their motherland. Their problems would be resolved if even a small amount of their contribution is returned. Ironically, their motherland is not responding as expected. Today, Gulf NRIs are not expecting their motherland to help them financially or in terms of other amenities but are pleading for flights to be organized for their return home. They are prepared to pay even an extra cost for it. But the country is responding with great reluctance.
Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia recognize themselves as ‘friendly countries of India’. These countries have indirectly joined hands in India’s development by giving jobs to lakhs of Indians. If Corona has spread extensively in these countries, it is because of foreign visitors. Gulf countries are fighting effectively against the spread of Corona. Workers of various other countries are seen as obstacles in their battle against Corona. At the same time, since economic activities have come to a standstill, these workers have been rendered jobless. As these countries cannot fend for the jobless, they are asking for the repatriation of the jobless migrants by the countries of their origin. Several countries have responded and taken their people back home. But thousands of Indians are stranded. As India has not taken any special interest in getting them home, these Indians find themselves in danger as they are seemingly not wanted by anyone. This stand that India has adopted is diametrically opposite to the stand it has taken towards NRIs till now. India should be aware that the world is watching our neglect of its own people.
Although India under pressure has brought back NRIs from several countries, the interest shown in bringing back middle class NRIs from Gulf countries is not the same as that shown in the case of rich NRIs from European countries. Karnataka has also displayed a sheer irresponsibility in this regard. While Karnataka has brought back a few hundreds of NRIs from Dubai by organizing special flights, it has not responded to the pleas of those living in the Saudi Arabia. It has been alleged that the State and the Centre are deliberately discriminating against NRIs in Saudi Arabia where around three lakh Kannada-speaking NRIs, half of these from coastal districts, live. Around ten thousand people are waiting to return home from Saudi Arabia. Of these, around 4000 are in emergency situations and in dire need of returning home. The fact that the governments have yet not finalized flights to bring these people home has shocked and angered them.
Many of these people who have to return home immediately are the elderly, women on Visit Visas, and those in need of medical treatment. Parents and family members who are visiting their families and those looking for jobs are waiting anxiously to return home. Similarly, pregnant women and children find themselves in an inevitable situation to return home. Many of them have fallen seriously ill and died due to the apathy shown by the governments.
Their situation will only worsen if there is any more delay. This attitude of the government can also endanger those who have not been infected with Corona. Instead of acting decisively, leaders are shirking from their responsibility by engaging in blame game and are pointing fingers at each other. This lack of coordination between leaders is also responsible for the delay in bringing back these people from Saudi who sense some political reasons behind this mess. Governments should adopt the same attitude they shown in bringing back NRIs from other countries. Many organizations have already come forward to foot the air travel cost of people who are facing financial difficulties and have also promised to provide free quarantine facilities and have identified buildings to house them. Why is then the delay on the part of the government? Why is it not possible for the Karnataka government to do this when the Kerala government has done this successfully? The Karnataka government should adopt the Kerala model and discharge its responsibilities failing which, this negligence towards those who built the coastal districts could prove to be a grave disaster that can’t be undone.
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Surat LS candidate Nilesh Kumbhani whose nomination form was rejected suspended from Congress
Ahmedabad, Apr 25: The Gujarat Congress on Friday suspended from the party for six years its Surat Lok Sabha candidate Nilesh Kumbhani, whose nomination form was rejected over discrepancies leading to the BJP's Mukesh Dalal getting elected unopposed.
A statement from the Congress said the party's disciplinary committee decided to suspend Kumbhani after thorough discussion, adding it had come to the conclusion that the nomination form was rejected due to gross negligence on his part or "in connivance with the BJP".
"To be fair to you we have given time to you to explain your case but instead of coming before the party disciplinary committee you have gone incommunicado. After your form was rejected by the authorities, BJP went ahead and got form of other eight candidates withdrawn. This has deprived people of Surat their voting rights," the Congress disciplinary committee headed by Balu Patel said.
"People of Surat and party workers have become very angry due to your action and are expressing their anger in different ways. The Congress party has decided to suspend you for six years from the party," the press note said.
Kumbhani's nomination form was rejected on April 21 after his three proposers submitted affidavits to the district returning officer claiming the signatures on the document was not theirs.
The nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the Congress' substitute candidate from Surat, was also invalidated on the same grounds.
In his order, Returning Officer Sourabh Pardhi said the three nomination forms submitted by Kumbhani and Padsala were rejected after prima facie discrepancy was found in the signatures of the proposers and they did not appear to be genuine.
Kumbhani, a former corporator from Surat, had unsuccessfully fought the 2022 Assembly polls from Kamrej there.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed from Surat Lok Sabha constituency on April 22 after all other nominees, including one from BSP, withdrew from the fray one by one on the last day of withdrawing papers.
