‘They are torturing me’: TN woman alleges torture, no pay in Kuwait; Indian Embassy steps in
New Delhi: An Indian domestic worker from Tamil Nadu who alleged that she was tortured, denied food and kept without wages in Kuwait has been taken into the care of the Indian Embassy, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday.
The woman, identified as Vanitha from Kallakurichi district, had appealed to authorities in Tamil Nadu for help after sharing a video in which she alleged that her employers had subjected her to prolonged abuse and withheld her salary.
She said she travelled to Kuwait around three months ago through an employment agent.
In the video, the woman is seen with her head covered with a scarf and making an emotional appeal for help. She alleged that she had been denied proper food for more than 50 days and had not received her salary for two months.
"They are torturing me... I request the Collector madam and the Superintendent of Police madam to somehow rescue me and help me return to my motherland," she said with folded hands.
The case came to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Kuwait, which subsequently intervened to assist her.
Responding to a question about the matter at his regular press briefing, Jaiswal said the embassy acted as soon as it became aware of the allegations.
"As soon as our embassy became aware of this issue, it offered assistance," Jaiswal said.
"She is currently at our embassy. We remain committed to doing our best for the well-being, safety and welfare of Indian nationals abroad," he said.
The allegations include torture, starvation and non-payment of wages by the woman's employers. Her intervention by the embassy comes after she sought assistance from authorities in her home state to facilitate her return to India.
Jaiswal also addressed a separate question concerning remarks reportedly made by Birmingham Mayor Zaker Choudhry on the Kashmir issue.
"The whole of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of India," Jaiswal said.