Amarinder Singh assures help to kin of those held in Iraq

AMRITSAR: Senior Congress leader Amarinder Singh today assured kin of people stuck in strife-torn Iraq that he will continue to pursue their case with the Centre until they are brought home.

During an interaction with the families of four victims who met him here, Singh agreed with them that the Centre had not taken adequate measures.

Singh assured the families, who claimed that their kin Kamal Masih, Vijay Masih, Rachhpal Masih and Rakesh Masih were jailed in Baghdad, that he would take up their case with the External Affairs Ministry.

Narrating their tale of woes, the relatives told him that the victims were misled by the travel agents and instead of getting jobs they ended up in jail.

They said no action had been taken against the travel agents even after 17 months since the youth, belonging to Nirankari Colony in Amritsar, were jailed in Iraq because of their (travel agents') wilful and criminal negligence.

On the current Iraq crisis, the Amritsar MP said by now, the evacuation of people stuck there should have started as the situation was deteriorating there day by day.

"I am surprised as to what the government of India is waiting for," he remarked.