Indian women sold for BD1100 in Bahrain : Indian Minister

Manama : An Indian Minister has alleged that women from his country are being sold for GBP2,000 (BD1,100) in Gulf countries, reports said.

According to reports, Andhra Pradesh's Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Welfare Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy claimed that “Indian women are being sold like products for GBP4,000 in Saudi Arabia and GBP2,000 in Bahrain.”

“Reddy claimed that women from the southern Andhra Pradesh region of India are being held in horrific conditions in Gulf State jails after fleeing their husbands and employers,” reported British online newspaper The Independent.

The report added that the Minister appealed to the Indian Government to protect women from “recruitment agents who sell them as if they came from a ‘retail shop’ after luring them from their homeland on the promise of triple pay.”

“Female migrants in Saudi are tricked into overstaying their visas and jailed on petty offences while their cases are heard before being sold to the highest bidder, the Minister alleged,” said the report.

Over 20,000 Indian women have been estimated to be detained in poor conditions, The Independent reported, adding that there have been complaints of physical abuse, mistreatment, non-payment of salary and denial of fundamental human rights. 

The Indian Minister has confirmed that over 25 women, who are currently serving jail terms in the Gulf, have sought help from the Andhra Pradesh State Government in the past few months,” The Independent reported.

The Minister apparently called for initiating necessary steps to bring the women to their native areas safely by providing free travel and necessary visa documents at the earliest possible opportunity.

“Instructions should be issued to Indian Embassy officials in the Gulf countries to interfere into the matter and provide necessary help in terms of food, clothing and shelter,” he stated.

The report added that “the Indian Government confirmed in response to Reddy’s demands that it would send Ministers to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain next month to investigate the conditions migrants are being held in. An official from Andhra Pradesh, meanwhile, said the State authority is in the process of appointing lawyers to provide legal aid to Indian prisoners in the Gulf region.”

No official comments were available from the Bahraini and Saudi authorities.