>
Title: Alleged ill-treatment meted out to Indian Labourers in U.S..
DR. K.S. MANOJ (ALLEPPEY): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Sir. It is a matter of great concern that nearly 400 Indian workers are subjected to ill-treatment and discrimination in the United States of America (USA). These workers are working with Pascagoula Shipyard in New Orleans, USA. They have been recruited by a recruiting agency named Diwan Consultants in Mumbai for a signal company in the USA. They had to pay huge amount to the consultants, and they were offered Green Card in the USA. But they did not get the Green Card. Further, they were subjected to ill-treatment and discrimination. They are accommodated in a very small room in which 25 workers live together. Further, they were not properly paid; they were not given treatment; and they are even struggling for their daily food. The company is not paying any attention to them, and the Consultants are also not properly attending to them.
The matter has come to the notice of the Indian Embassy, but they are not getting adequate service from the Indian Embassy also. Therefore, I would like to draw the attention of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to look into the matter, and give proper care and service to them.
This particular consultant, like several others in our country, is operating without any licence and is recruiting people to different foreign countries. Therefore, the functioning of this particular company should be enquired into. … (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Please conclude. Please come to the point. What can the Government do in this regard? Only that is necessary, and not all these details.
DR. K.S. MANOJ : Further, I would request that proper attention should be given to the workers who are trapped in the USA. Thank you.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. P. C. Thomas, two issues are mentioned against your name, but only one issue will come on record. It could be either related to the issue of Good Friday or on the issue of school leaving certificate. I would also like to mention that you were not present when your name was called. Therefore, I am calling you again to mention your issue.