Twenty workers from Rajasthan have been stuck in the central African nation of Congo as their employer has confiscated their passports and mobile phones after assaulting them over a dispute.
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party chief Hanuman Beniwal on Wednesday wrote to external affairs minister S Jaishankar for ensuring their early return. Beniwal provided the details of the workers and the company they worked for while requesting the ministry to direct the Indian embassy in Congo to provide help.
Barmer-resident Andaram Jani said he took up the matter with Beniwal and that his cousin, Mukesh Kumar, and brother-in-law Rajuram were among those stuck in Congo. He said the workers from Barmer and Ajmer went to Congo about a year back and worked at a supermarket in Lubumbashi.
“Two weeks ago, there was some dispute between the workers and the employer after which he started harassing them,” said Jani. He added Kumar somehow managed to call him from someone’s phone and asked for help.
Jani said Kumar told him the employer assaulted them besides confiscating their phones and passports. He added they contacted the employer, who informed them that his relatives caused a loss of ₹2.5 lakh and asked for compensation if they wanted Kumar and Rajuram to return to India.
Jani said they paid the compensation last week but the employer was asking for more. He said Kumar is the only son of a daily wager and that they somehow managed ₹2.5 lakh. “…we cannot arrange more money. We request the Indian government to help us.”
