• Source:JND
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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Qatar Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday, with the two leaders discussing trade, investment and energy and recalling historic trade linkages and deep-rooted people-to-people ties between the two countries. However, there are no details on whether the two leaders discussed the condition of the Indian workers in Qatar.

When asked if Indian worker's condition in Qatar was discussed during PM Modi's meeting with Amir of the State of Qatar, Secretary (CPV & OIA), Arun Kumar Chatterjee said there were no issues flagged by the joint-working group which looks after the grievances reported by the workers. He said that the last joint-working group met a week ago and there were no concerns regarding the workers' condition.

"We have a joint-working group mechanism between India and Qatar. If there are any issues flagged to us, as far as workers are concerned, that is discussed between two joint-working groups. The last joint-working group just met a week ago and there were no concerns regarding the workers' conditions over there...," he said.

Indians in Qatar

Over the past four decades, the Indian migrant population in the Gulf has grown by 11 times, increasing from 8,00,000 in 1983 to 3.3 million in 2001, and reaching 8.8 million by 2022, according to the most recent data. On several occasions, the Indian workers complained of bad working conditions in Qatar, with some complaining of slave-like situations. Contrary to the official statement, the Indian workers in Qatar reported mysterious deaths.

On multiple occasions, family members who had spoken to their loved ones working in Qatar were informed by the authorities about the sudden death over a phone call. The family members back in India often complain they were not properly communicated with by the authorities and sometimes are not even informed of the reason behind their deaths.

According to a foreign ministry statement released in December last year, about 2,400 Indian citizens died in Qatar between 2014 and 2021. The ministry also said in February that Qatar topped the list of countries from which Indians were seeking compensation for work-related deaths, with 81 cases pending.

(With inputs from agency)