'Nitaqat' law: Centre, states should intervene, says Karuna

Chennai, July 2: DMK chief M Karunanidhi today said the Central and state governments should take steps to ensure the livelihood of Indian expatriates being sent back from Saudi Arabia to Tamil Nadu as a significant number of people were affected by 'Nitaqat' law.

Karunanidhi recalled that he had recently sought India's intervention to ensure Indian workers continued working there as a large number of those affected were Tamils.

The Indian Embassy, however, in Saudi Arabia had started taking steps to send them back to India, he said in a statement.

"The Centre and state government should come forward to extend financial assistance and loans to those who come back and protect their families," the DMK patriarch said. Nitaqat is aimed at replacing a large section of overseas workers with locals in Saudi Arabia, a haven for job-seekers from India, especially from Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

PTI