JEDDAH — India is sending a minister to address the issues being faced by Indian workers who are stranded in Saudi Arabia after losing their jobs. Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj announced in a series of tweets on Saturday that her deputy Gen. V.K. Singh will be visiting Saudi Arabia soon. Indian Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh told Saudi Gazette that there were about 2,500 distressed workers living in five camps: Three in Jeddah and one each in Shumaisi and Taif. He said the consulate has reached out to the Indian community to help these workers. "The community has been very helpful," he added. Sushma Swaraj tweeted: "A large number of Indians have lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The employers have not paid wages (and have) closed down their factories. As a result our brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are facing extreme hardship." "My colleagues @Gen_VKSingh will go to Saudi Arabia to sort out these matters and @MJakbar (Minister of State for External Affairs) will take up with Kuwait and Saudi authorities," she tweeted. "We have asked @IndianEmbRiyadh to provide free ration to the unemployed Indian workers in Saudi Arabia," she said. "I assure you that no Indian worker rendered unemployed in Saudi Arabia will go without food. I am monitoring this on an hourly basis," she added.
