Indian workers in Jordan appeal for help to get wages

CHENNAI: Unable to withstand the inordinate delay in settling their pending salaries and social security fund, the workers from Tamil Nadu along with 70 odd workers from India have resorted to protest against their employer in Jordan on Monday. Indeed, workers from Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh have also joined the protest.

“We are forced to protest for our pending salary. What else we can do, if there is no help from the government? Hence, we have joined the workers from other countries, including Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh, in the protest,” R Pavendhan of Ariyalur district said over the phone from the protest site. He was among the 69 Indian workers pleading for more than three weeks with the Indian government to get their pending salary and socials security amount, ranging between Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 2 lakh each and ensure their safe return to their native place.

Meanwhile, owners of the workers’ hostels have been demanding the workers to vacate the facilities. “They have disconnected water and electricity connections in the last two days and are forcing us to vacate the workers’ hostel. If this situation continues, we have no place to stay or go,” he said and claimed that the police and army personnel resorted to mild force (lathicharged) to disburse the protestors.

Earlier, A Raja, DMK MP, wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while CPI Parliament party leader Binoy Viswam flagged the issue. They sought MEA intervention for safe return of workers.