What matters most is safety of Gulf Indians

Amid reports that US President Donald Trump has bitten off more than he can chew and the Gulf war showing no signs of ending in the near future, concerns are rising in India about the fate of the nearly 1 crore Indians, who reside in the several Middle-East countries, earning their livelihood in various sectors. Some of them have already started returning to their native country in the limited flights being operated from the Gulf amid an unending barrage of bombs and missiles, now dominating the skies of every country in the region.

There are tears of relief no doubt on their faces but what about the lakhs who are still out there, hoping for an early end to the war and gripped by intense fear about their safety and jobs? A huge number are from Kerala, who have been contributing substantially to the southern state’s economy and prosperity through several decades. Their families and those from other parts of the country are now passing through an agonizingly painful stage with reports trickling in that Indians have also been killed in the ever expanding conflict.

Abandoning jobs and all that they have built painstakingly through the years is not easy for anyone and therefore, every effort should be made by the government and the agencies concerned to ensure their safety and security wherever they are, if they are unable to return in a hurry. Guidelines have already being issued to the Indians in the region to stay safe and not risk getting caught in the maddening blasts all around.

The number of Indians in each of the Gulf nations, now being drawn into the vortex of war, is mind-boggling; In the UAE where Dubai is located, Indians make up for a staggering 35 per cent of the population while Qatar’s 25 lakh population has around 8 lakh Indians among them. Bahrain is not far behind with around 3 lakh Indians and there are substantial numbers in other Middle-East nations like Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already reached out to leaders of Qatar, UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait among others, to ensure the safety of the beleaguered Indians. Whoever wins this war, we have to get our priorities right; what matters most to us is the happiness of those Indians who because of domestic factors or lack of jobs, are forced to cross the seas and go abroad to earn their livelihood. Political differences hardly matter at this juncture when a global crisis is raging. What is important is to make sure that no civilian lives are lost in a war which has already wreaked enormous havoc, destroying lives and precious assets.