Kerala CM urges PM Modi to ensure safety of Indians in the Gulf

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday expressed concern over the situation in the Gulf region, following recent military actions by the US and Israel against Iran, and urged the Centre to take necessary measures to protect Indian nationals, including potential evacuation.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vijayan on Sunday underscored the need to ensure the safety, welfare, and safe passage, if the situation demands, of lakhs of Indians, a significant section of whom are Keralites, working in the Gulf.

Advertisement

Stating that the looming shadow of war over the Gulf region following the US-Israel attack on Iran has rendered the relatives of those employed in the region profoundly anxious for the safety and well-being, he urged the Centre to ensure preparedness to safeguard Indian nationals in the region and to take necessary steps, including arrangements to bring them back safely if the situation so demands.

“At the moment, I am informing the Honourable Prime Minister about our anxiety about the safety and security of our nationals, a large number of whom are from Kerala,” CM Vijayan wrote in his letter to the PM.

The Chief Minister also stated in his letter that the state government stands ready to offer all necessary assistance, including specialised support systems to facilitate communication between expatriates and their families.

Meanwhile, amid rapidly escalating confrontations between Iran and Israel and growing concerns over the safety of expatriates, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) Department to set up a dedicated helpdesk immediately. The facility will monitor developments, coordinate with Indian embassies and provide real-time assistance and advisories to expatriates and their families in Kerala. The NORKA helpdesk has received 381 calls till noon on Sunday, it is learnt.