NEW DELHI: Dismissing reports that nearly 4,000 Indians working in Afghanistan were being mistreated by their American employers, the Indian government Thursday said it had not received even a single complaint in this regard.
It also refuted the figures on the number of Indians working in Afghanistan in the field of Information Technology and in US military camps, putting it at close to 3,000.
"I have checked on that. The figures are a bit wrong. As far as we know, in all, about close to 3,000 Indians are working of their free will and volition in Afghanistan.
"As far as the missions and consulates are concerned, we have not received a single complaint of mistreatment or any problem. You have to note that they have gone there on their free will and they can go there, work there and come back as they want," a government official, who preferred anonymity, said here to a query on the reports from Kerala that the state had sought the centre's intervention in the matter.
"I do appreciate that Afghanistan is a friendly country and Indian embassy and four consulates are in close touch with Indian people, who are in Afghanistan. Some of them are working in IT companies, some of them are working in military camps and so on. We have taken note of this report and therefore, today, again, we checked and there is nothing that has come to our notice to substantiate the report that has appeared today," the sources said.
Reports had suggested that Kerala government had sought the centre's help for nearly 4,000 Indians -- a majority of whom are from the state -- reportedly working in "miserable" conditions in American military camps in Afghanistan. The report had quoted television channels that spoke to the Indian workers in military camps in Afghanistan over the phone.
Kerala's Minister for Non-Resident Keralites Affairs K.C. Joseph said the government viewed the matter seriously and wanted the central government's intervention to save the Indians.
"Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will be writing to external affairs minister and non-resident Indians affairs minister to ascertain the details and intervene in the matter," Joseph was quoted as saying.
It also refuted the figures on the number of Indians working in Afghanistan in the field of Information Technology and in US military camps, putting it at close to 3,000.
"I have checked on that. The figures are a bit wrong. As far as we know, in all, about close to 3,000 Indians are working of their free will and volition in Afghanistan.
"As far as the missions and consulates are concerned, we have not received a single complaint of mistreatment or any problem. You have to note that they have gone there on their free will and they can go there, work there and come back as they want," a government official, who preferred anonymity, said here to a query on the reports from Kerala that the state had sought the centre's intervention in the matter.
"I do appreciate that Afghanistan is a friendly country and Indian embassy and four consulates are in close touch with Indian people, who are in Afghanistan. Some of them are working in IT companies, some of them are working in military camps and so on. We have taken note of this report and therefore, today, again, we checked and there is nothing that has come to our notice to substantiate the report that has appeared today," the sources said.
Reports had suggested that Kerala government had sought the centre's help for nearly 4,000 Indians -- a majority of whom are from the state -- reportedly working in "miserable" conditions in American military camps in Afghanistan. The report had quoted television channels that spoke to the Indian workers in military camps in Afghanistan over the phone.
Kerala's Minister for Non-Resident Keralites Affairs K.C. Joseph said the government viewed the matter seriously and wanted the central government's intervention to save the Indians.
"Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will be writing to external affairs minister and non-resident Indians affairs minister to ascertain the details and intervene in the matter," Joseph was quoted as saying.
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