A driver who wanted to make more money migrated to Dubai three years ago. For the first 16 months, he was sending money back home regularly, until he got caught in what was termed a ‘drug offence’ and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment.
The driver, A. Rajanikant (35), has a wife, Kavita, and three-and-a-half-year old daughter Charvika. His father, Rajeshwar, a beedi worker from Nizamabad district, said, “The first time he asked for some pain-killers, we sent it to him. The second time, he wanted it for a colleague and the consignment caught the attention of the authorities. We are growing old and desperate for help,” he rued.
Butchaiah (35) from Karimnagar district left for the Gulf 18 years ago. A clash in a friend’s room resulted in a death and the blame fell on him. “It is now 14 years that he has been in jail,” lamented Butchaiah’s brother Lingam.
A few dozens of unfortunate family members of those in jails in the Gulf were present at a meeting conducted by the Migrants Rights Council (MRC), represented by president P. Narayanaswami and M.B. Reddy, affiliated to the Migrant Forum in Asia and Palamoori Migrant Labour Union (PMLU) affiliated to the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), to mark the International Migrants’ Day on Thursday.
Former MP and BWI’s international vice-president Ramchander Kunthia said in reference to the growing concerns of migrant labours to the Gulf, there was a need to improve awareness of illiterate and semi-literate people. As for migrants within India, he said amendments to the Inter-State Migrant Labour Act were needed to include certain safeguards.
On the occasion, Dr. Kunthia gave away ‘Pravasi Mitra’ awards to Janagama Srinivas, a social worker in Sharjah, Ediga Chitti Babu, an Assistant Section Officer in the NRI Department of the Government of Telangana and Duvvuri Kishore Babu, a social worker in Dubai. As he could not make it, his wife Deepa Kishore received the award.
Anuradha Vobbilisetty, an advocate by profession in Dubai and president of Telugu Sravanthi, who has been working to help improve migrant workers’ life in the Gulf, was felicitated for her work.
