Secure Indians in Qatar, Kerala CM Vijayan to PM Modi

In letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Vijayan said he was writing the letter in the context of the developing geo-political situation in the Middle East today. 

“As you are aware millions of Indians are working in countries in the Middle East and therefore the geo-political developments in the region have raised deep concerns among the people in the state since each family has at least one family member or a relative in the region,” he said. 

There are about 6.5 lakh Indians in Qatar, of which nearly three lakh people hail from Kerala, Vijayan said, expressing concern on their safety and employment in Qatar. “I would like to place on record the full support of our state to the considered stance that Union government would take on the issue, given the complexities involved,” he said. 

He said the state was aware that the Centre would come out with the “most appropriate diplomatic and geo- political stance” in this regard taking into consideration all aspects and put in place a “robust mechanism” for addressing all the concerns.