(a) whether Indians living abroad have filed over 60,000 complaints of harassment, and physical abuse as well as other grievances with the country''s missions during the recent time;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether it is a fact that most of the complaints are from the Gulf countries; and
(d) if so, the details of the steps taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
GENERAL V.K. SINGH (RETD.)
(a), (b) & (c): As per information made available to this Ministry by Indian Missions/Posts in July, 2015, 45161 complaints of harassment and physical abuse as well as other grievances have been received by Missions/ Posts in 28 countries (as per list attached as Annexure-I). 45 Missions/ Posts, (as per list attached as Annexure-II) did not receive any such complaints during the last three years.
(d): Most of these complaints were addressed by Indian Missions by taking them up with the concerned foreign authorities. Complaints pertaining to employment were taken up by the Mission with the concerned foreign employer or labour officials in that country. Missions also provided initial legal assistance through the Indian Community Welfare Fund and provided counselling to the concerned parties.
The Ministry has set up a 24X7 helpline ‘Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC)’ in Gurgaon, Haryana which provides information and guidance on all matters and problems pertaining to overseas employment of Indian nationals. Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) set up in Dubai by the Embassy of India, in UAE, provides guidance and counselling on all matters pertaining to overseas Indian workers in UAE. Shelter homes for distressed Indian nationals, have been set up in Malaysia and Dubai (UAE).