Manama (Bahrain): Nearly 20 per cent of workers from Telugu states working in Gulf countries are exploited by Indian agents.
Desperate and often illiterate job seekers are not aware of what is in the job agreement, and lured by the agent's promise of a high salary they are pushed into jobs that are exploitative and not what they were promised. Agents from both the Telugu states are taking advantage of the illiteracy of job seekers and are concerned only about their own commissions.
Mohammad Irfan from Darussalam in the city, working in Jeddah presently, said agents are getting Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 commission for supplying manpower to recognised agencies in the Gulf countries, but unauthorised agencies in the Gulf, which supply manpower to individuals, are offering '50,000 and more commission to agents. Although, the Gulf countries issued orders to employers not to take away the passports of their workers, some employers continue to do so.
After directions by the Indian government, major manpower agencies in the Gulf supplying labour/workers to individuals and companies have improved their track record. But illiterate people still fall into the clutches of unauthorised agencies, Mr Irfan said. These unscrupulous agents promise Telugu workers Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 salary per month. The agreement with the employer is always in Arabic, which the employee doesn’t understand.
“The worker only comes to know that he/she has been cheated after getting the first salary. Most employers in Saudi, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and other Gulf countries pay only Rs 10,000 per month. Workers who go through unauthorised agents don’t even get salaries,” Mr Irfan claims.
A worker in Jeddah, who is not willing to disclose his identity, said, “Most of the workers from Asia are being given less salaries. Especially those working as drivers and maids with individuals are facing torture from their kafils (employers). I am also one of the victims. My passport was seized by our employer.”
