JEDDAH — The Overseas Indian Cultural Congress Global Committee is upbeat on the upcoming visit of a high-level Indian government delegation to Saudi Arabia to discuss major issues concerning the expatriate community including the Nitaqat Saudization program and huroob (the term used to describe workers who run away from their legal sponsors). Speaking to Saudi Gazette, K.M. Sherief Kunju, general secretary of OICC Global, hoped that there would be a major breakthrough in solving the issues of thousands of Indians stranded in the Kingdom as huroob cases. “The high-profile visit is expected to set the ground for inking an agreement between Saudi Arabia and India to facilitate the return of all huroob violators, except those who involved in criminal offenses. “There are many expatriates who are in a hapless situation without knowing what to do in the face of grim realities besides struggle to make ends meet.” Sherief Kunju noted that stranded people are not only those who fled from their sponsors, but also many people who are in the lurch due to several factors such as the death of sponsor, legal disputes involving their companies or if the business goes into liquidation. He expected the delegation, comprising Indian federal and state ministers as well as senior officials, would discuss the practical difficulties facing expatriates in rectifying their sponsorship and professional status. “During the recent OICC Global Meet in Abu Dhabi, we met with the Indian Overseas Affairs Minister Valayar Ravi, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and many other leaders and briefed them on the general situation arising out of the Nitaqat implementation drive. “Our delegation also met Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid and all of them promised full support to address this issue.” Sherief Kunju thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for giving a three-month reprieve to rectify the status of foreigners. He also urged the authorities to give enough time to legalize the status of all foreigners. “OICC Global also demands lifting the ban on deported Indian from seeking jobs in any other GCC states.” Sherief Kunju, who is working as sales manager of Saudi Cable Company, was elected as the first general secretary of the newly formed OICC Global Committee. He has also been serving as the president of Jeddah OICC for eight years. OICC Global is the international body affiliated to the Kerala Pradesh Committee of Indian National Congress, which is leading the country's ruling coalition. Addressing a press conference at Jeddah Impala Gardens Tuesday, Sherief Kunju said that as many as 720 delegates from nearly 30 countries participated in the 3rd OICC Global Meet held at Abu DhabiIndian Social Center on April 11-13. The meet was opened by Oommen Chandy. Prominent Doha-based businessman Padmasree C.K. Menon is the President of the Committee while James Koodal (Bahrain) and Sankaran Pillai Kumbalath (Oman) are treasurer and organizing secretary respectively. Jeddah OICC was represented by A.P. Kunhali Haji, K.T.A Muneer, Abdul Rahman Kavungal, Zakir Hussain Edavanna and Abdul Rasheed Kolathara in the Global Committee. Sherief Kunju said the meet urged the Indian Embassy to facilitate the smooth return of those affected by the Nitaqat drive. It called on the Indian government to take stringent punitive measures against visa traders and racketeers besides addressing the travel related problems of expatriates, especially the recurrent issue of steep hike in air tickets by Air India during peak seasons. The conference demanded the Kerala government to introduce rehabilitation packages for Gulf returnees.
