40 Indian labourers freed from Saudi prison

NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government has secured the release of 40 Indian nationals who were being held in prison in Saudi Arabia for allegedly violating labour laws of that country, a BJP leader said here today.

According to BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, the 40 labourers, who hail from the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, were working in Saudi Arabia for a private contractor. They were in jail for one year following their arrest for holding protests upon the death of one of their colleagues.

"The efforts of foreign minister Sushma Swaraj have helped secure the release of these 40 labourers after she took up the matter with the Saudi government," Hussain told PTI.

The labourers will be arriving in India on July 18, Hussain said, adding that, along with BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy, he would be going to receive them when they return from Saudi Arabia.

"This is a Ramzan gift from Swaraj... I thank the Narendra Modi government for securing their release. This was possible after the Modi government came to power, as that has helped enhance India's image internationally," he said.

Hussain said the labourers had been in prison in Saudi Arabia since July 16 of last year.

"This July 2, relatives of some of the labourers met Swaraj, who immediately asked the Indian ambassador to secure their release. They (labourers) were released on July 6 after the construction company took back its case.

"But their release from jail could not be secured as the Saudi prince could not sign the release order, which has since been secured upon a request by the foreign minister," he said.