Two Indian emigrants, working in Malaysia, returned to Chennai on Saturday.
One of them had spent three months in a Malaysian jail for not carrying his passport and he alleged that his passport was impounded by his employer.
Bala Murugan (20) and Siva Kumar (28) were rescued from Malaysia after the Indian High Commission contacted the Malaysian authorities.
Murugan worked with M/s Makvul Restaurant in Malaysia. Though, he did not complain of physical abuse, he alleged that one of his co-workers was beaten to death at the hotel.
Siva Kumar, who was rescued from Malaysian jail, complained of inhuman working conditions.
He said he was made to work for 14 hours a day but the agents refused to pay his dues.
"The agents are making a fool of the people who go from here in search for jobs. At the beginning, they promise us eight hours' shift, but in reality, we have to work for 14 hours a day. Besides, there is no off day in the week for us. The payment of salary is irregular. Moreover, our passport is deposited in their custody. If we ask for the same, they terminate us," he said.
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President of Union of Construction Workers, Pon Kumar, who was instrumental in rescuing the two Indians, said no proper accommodation was given to them and safety measures were not adopted by the employer.
He alleged that the Indian Embassy in Malaysia refused to help by saying they do not deal with Indian workers' welfare, and their role is limited to fostering good relations between India and Malaysia.
"So we complained and wrote letters to the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister. In turn, they instructed Indian Embassy in Malaysia, and then only they were rescued," Kumar said.
Gopal Reddy, a retired coordinator, Building and Wood Workers International, said that workers going abroad have little idea about the visa system. He explained that as per the Immigration Act, the government issues certification to agents and collects a security amount of one million rupees for every 1,000-2,000 workers. In the event of any mishap to a worker, the government deducts the amount from the agent.
"Indian Workers Resource Centre is there to give information to workers. And Indian Community Welfare Fund is there, that is lying with the embassies in other countries. If any problem happens, they will come to rescue of the workers," Reddy said.
He also highlighted the existence of Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojna (PBBY), an insurance scheme for Indian emigrants going to certain countries for work.
There are about 21 million people of Indian origin abroad and they send remittances of about 70 billion US dollars a year, which is more than the amount received by any other country.
For the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar, construction workers from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka are being recruited. One death per day from Qatar is reported to India, as per data received.