New Delhi: Twenty-nine Indian workers have been "rescued" from Saudia Arabia, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said. Giving the information on tweeter last night, she further said the government also decided to foot the flight fare for the workers - who originally belonged to Telangana. "We have rescued those 29 workers from Saudi Arabia. We are paying for their air tickets as well," External Affairs Minister wrote in a tweet message. Ms Swaraj was approached by Telangana Minister K T Rama Rao who had sought her intervention in the rescue of the 29 migrant workers from the state allegedly held in captivity by a company in Saudi Arabia.
Mr Rao, Telangana's NRI Affairs and IT Minister, had written to Swaraj sharing a media report which said the workers were held in captivity without any food or basic amenities and that the company had demanded 50,000 US Dollars from each of the employees before allowing them to leave. On March 21, the External Affairs Minister had directed the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Javed, to initiate action to secure the release of 29 migrant workers from Telangana who were allegedly held in captivity in Saudi Arabia for about a fortnight - reportedly without food or basic amenities. "Javed - Plz help the Indian workers and send a report to me and Mr. K T Rama Rao (NRI Affairs Minister of Telangana)" Ms Swaraj has said in a tweet.
The intervention from Ms Swaraj came in response to a letter written to her by Telangana NRI Affairs Minister K T Rama Rao, in which he asked her to address the issue with the host country. Mr Rao has said that the workers employed by a company were held in captivity at Al-Hassa in Saudi Arabia and urged that they be repatriated to India. (UNI)