Thiruvananthapuram: The state government is convening a meeting with the nurses who returned from Iraq as well as those who have offered jobs to them her on Friday. Chief Minister Mr. Oommen Chandy told the Assembly on Monday that efforts were also going on to bring back all nurses stranded in war-torn Iraq.
“We have already given to the Indian embassy a list of the nurses willing to come back from Iraq. However many nurses who had spoken to me directly also said that they preferred to stay back in Iraq and many nurses who had earlier came on leave from Iraq are even going back now. It might be the financial burden which is forcing them to be in Iraq,” he said.
Mr. Chandy said that the government hope to take a decision on rehabilitation of the 46 nurses at Friday’s meeting. A nurse hailing from Tuticorn in Tamil Nadu who was also among the 46 would be invited to the meeting. Seeking the opposition’s support for the government’s efforts, the chief minister also invited Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan to the meeting.
Mr. Achuthanandan who hailed the government’s efforts demanded that the banks should be pressed to waive the education loan dues of the nurses who returned from Iraq. Rehabilitation schemes for the nurses should be initiated on war footing. He also said that the military of Saddam Hussein who rescued the nurses should not be termed as extremists. The humane approach they had shown to the nurses should be hailed.
CM Oommen Chandy thanks Sushma Swaraj
Chief Minister Mr. Oommen Chandy has urged External Affairs Minister Ms. Sushma Swaraj to direct the embassy officials in Iraq to make arrangements for the return of all Malayali nurses who wished to return. In a letter sent to Ms.
Swaraj thanking her for the “sincere and dedicated” efforts to bring back the 46 nurses, Mr. Chandy said that many nurses were not able to return as the sponsors were not handing over their passports claiming that the period of bond was not over. Some sponsors were also demanding compensation for termination of bond, he said.
