Saving workers from fraudulent job syndicates

Scores of cases of illegal Indian recruits finding themselves in combat roles in foreign armies have been coming with sickening regularity in the media. The latest reports suggest that bodies of two such recruits were repatriated from Russia to Haryana in the last one month.

They were reportedly killed in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Many aspirants for jobs in foreign countries are lured into such frontline duties deceitfully through agents who as sure them of lucrative opportunities. Data tabled in Parliament in February this year had indicated that of the 127 Indians who joined the Russian armed forces, 12 had been killed.

In such cases, it becomes the duty of the Indian government to repatriate their mortal remains. The authorities in In dia have repeatedly issued advisories against such fraudulent practices by unscrupulous agents who take the gullible aspirants for a ride.

Most of the recruits are from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Not this alone. There have been cases of job as pirants being led through Latin American jungles, made to jump-cross the wall in Mexico and travel inside empty tankers across Canada-US borders to find a foothold in the United States.

A couple of hundred Indians have also reportedly been recruited by cybercrime syndicates operating out of towns on the tri-junction of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar and find no way to exit the trap. There are also reports of torture and exploitation of Indian workers in orchards of Italy and Spain.

Desperation caused by long unemployment, low wages offered by jobs at home, stories of success of past migrants and the dazzle of foreign destinations besides false promises made by recruiting agents, complete the trap that prompts youth to fall victim to such gangs.

It is imperative that workers recruited by agents in India are thoroughly screened prior to their immigration to foreign destinations. It is needless to emphasize that the home states of such migrant workers must create opportunities at home to absorb the youth in gainful employment.