A staggering 12,456 hapless immigrants from the state living in Saudi Arabia have approached the Indian embassy in Riyadh to seek emergency certificates (EC) which would enable them to return to the country in pressing circumstances. The clamour for these certificates comes in the wake of the Kingdom's second phase of crackdown on illegal and overstaying immigrants, many of whom are from the city.
Sources from the embassy pointed out that of the 12,456 workers who applied for ECs, 9,626 had confirmed their desire to return to the country while the rest were seeking to get their visa status 'corrected' by the Saudi authorities. They added that out of 9,626, 7,606 had collected the EC from the embassy to return to the country.
First secretary (community welfare), Ashok Warrier, said that to cope with the unprecedented rush of workers making a beeline for India, the embassy has sought the help of local volunteers. They have also engaged the service of the consulate in Jeddah to issue ECs to those seeking emergency exits.
Sources from the embassy pointed out that of the 12,456 workers who applied for ECs, 9,626 had confirmed their desire to return to the country while the rest were seeking to get their visa status 'corrected' by the Saudi authorities. They added that out of 9,626, 7,606 had collected the EC from the embassy to return to the country.
First secretary (community welfare), Ashok Warrier, said that to cope with the unprecedented rush of workers making a beeline for India, the embassy has sought the help of local volunteers. They have also engaged the service of the consulate in Jeddah to issue ECs to those seeking emergency exits.
According to sources, there are around 6 lakh workers from the country, including 1 lakh from the state, working in the Kingdom. NRIs living in the Kingdom pointed out that many from the state had availed the grace period given by the Saudi government after the first phase of crackdown which began late in March this year.
"People from the state were either registered with a Saudi kafil or sponsor, but were working in other offices or hospitals. Many of these got themselves legalized by getting their sponsorship transferred to their actual places of work from their previous kafils," said Faiyaz Shareef, a hospital operations manager currently in Riyadh.
Meanwhile, AP State Minorities Commission chairman Abid Rasool Khan, who recently constituted a five-member committee comprising businessmen and activists to look into facilitating the return and rehabilitation of deportees, said he has sought the government's permission to leave for the Kingdom to assess the situation of immigrants from the state. "Once permission is granted, I will coordinate with the embassy officials and bring back our people," he said.
"People from the state were either registered with a Saudi kafil or sponsor, but were working in other offices or hospitals. Many of these got themselves legalized by getting their sponsorship transferred to their actual places of work from their previous kafils," said Faiyaz Shareef, a hospital operations manager currently in Riyadh.
Meanwhile, AP State Minorities Commission chairman Abid Rasool Khan, who recently constituted a five-member committee comprising businessmen and activists to look into facilitating the return and rehabilitation of deportees, said he has sought the government's permission to leave for the Kingdom to assess the situation of immigrants from the state. "Once permission is granted, I will coordinate with the embassy officials and bring back our people," he said.
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