Reacting to reports in The Goan regarding the ongoing Gulf crises, Goa’s lone Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik has dashed off a letter to Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, asking her to protect the interests of 6,50,000 Indians, including 10,000 Goans, living and doing business in Qatar.
PANAJI
“[The] whole country is deeply concerned on account of the recent Gulf crisis due to Saudi-led grouping of Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE, Yemen and surprisingly, Maldives, which cut off diplomatic ties, as well as, civil aviation and shipping ties,” Naik said.
Pointing to The Goan report, which stated that “a large number of Goans and other Indians began rushing to supermarkets and stores in Doha to stock up on essential of food supply”, Naik has said “India has to use diplomatic channels with Qatar in the interest of the Indian population there.”
“Since India has a friendly relationship with Qatar, the present government should put to trial the relationship and resolve the crisis. The government of India should not take things for granted, and that, Prime Minister’s visits do not necessarily help in such matters,” Naik added.
People from India, particularly from Goa, have been of immense help to boost the economy of Gulf countries including Qatar, and that, people from Goa have been taking up jobs in Gulf countries for several decades, and that it is the duty of government of India to undertake day-to-day monitoring of the interest of Indian population, Naik opined.
