Desperate tweet of jobless Indian man lands him 10 job offers in UAE

Mangalore Today News Network

UAE, Jul 01, 2019 : The future looked bleak for a 32-year-old Indian worker, Rajesh Puthenveettil, who was gearing up to go back to his home town Kerala empty handed with his employer not responding to his requests or even the court judgement to pay his salary and dues of around Dh14,000, Khaleejtimes reported.

 

But after an Indian minister responded to his plea for help on Twitter and directed Indian Consulate in Dubai to assist him, Rajesh has received around ten job offers!

Khaleej Times published Rajesh’s story online on Friday describing how he landed in job in Dubai last year as a sales associate, but in less than a year stopped receiving his salary when a new employer took over his company. For six months Rajesh has been living in deplorable conditions in his labour accommodation without electricity, food and basic necessities. He was surviving on the charity of his friends and community people.

" To contact my family, I go to the nearby mall where I get free WiFi and speak to them on whatsapp. I have no money to fill balance in my phone."

Rajesh who is the sole breadwinner of his family comprising his old parents, wife and a child says he is reeling under a bank loan of around INR 7 lacs as he was building a house for his family.

 "My family now just wants me to leave everything and come back. They don’t want any money or anything. Everyday they cry and ask me to come back but I had no means of going back until the Indian consulate contacted me. They are arranging my ticket and will be sending me back home in a couple of days, for which I’m grateful."

Overwhelmed with the public response, Rajesh told Khaleej Times: " I had planned to go back home and not come back but now I am re-thinking my decision because people have shown so much love and concern after they read my tweets and my story on social media. Today ( Saturday June 29), some people said they will come to meet me at my accommodation. I don’t know if they are coming to help or offer a job but they just comforted me by saying ’ we want to see you’.

Talking about the ten job offers, he received Rajesh said he is still not sure if he would take up after having one and experience but he says since most of the offers are from his Malayali community, he may come back to take up one of the offers. " All the people who called me are from Kerala and have been kind enough to promise me a stable job, however my family is now insisting that I shouldn’t take up any offers here and just work in Kerala, near them. So I will decide after going home and discussing with all."

Since his employer is not responding, Rajesh said he will not cancel his visa but may come back on the same visa after fulfilling some bank formalities (related to the loan he has taken to build his house) in India.

On June 25, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, responded to Rajesh’s tweet asking the Indian missions in the UAE to provide necessary assistance to him.

Speaking on behalf of the Indian consulate, social worker Praveen Kumar, who is part of the medical committee at the consulate, confirmed that the consulate swung into action as soon as the minister directed them to look into the case.

" We arranged a meeting with Rajesh and documented his case. He has requested us to send him back home at the earliest and we are arranging his air ticket, which should be ready in three or four days."