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29 March 2024

Forget Open House… make Helpline effective

After Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the system will be launched in four other GCC missions – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. (Shutterstock)

Published
By VM Sathish

Indians in the UAE say they would prefer the Helpline to be manned more effectively and staffed with qualified counselors over the proposed monthly ‘Open House’ at the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai.

At the last open house, only four Indians had turned up with only one of them having a genuine complaint, they pointed out.

Expatriates said they are unhappy with the lack of any major initiative by the Indian missions in the UAE to address the recent spike in the number of suicides among countrymen.

They complained that there are two emergency lines advertised on the official website. One is a mobile phone that is redirected to a landline. The landline is seldom answered, they claim.

However, NK Lokesh, Indian Ambassador to UAE, told Emirates24|7: “We are always available.”

A distressed Indian, whose family lived without electricity for six months and whose wife attempted suicide twice, tried contacting the embassy, but got no response.

“I went there at least 10 days in a month and waited for hours requesting an audience with community welfare leaders. But nobody there even noticed my presence. Only after an Indian radio station aired my problems, did media-friendly officials come forward,” said a Indian, who has been haunted by money lenders.

“I have written several appeals to them, but none of them replied,” he added.

This man's story is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg that depicts the state of affairs at Indian community associations and Indian missions in handling humanitarian issues.

A senior official from Sevanam, whose Sharjah Union Secretary committed suicide last month, said: “The Indian Consulate and Welfare groups are doing some work, but of late we have noticed that they are not helping distressed Indians. Their priorities seem to be different. We welcome the move to reopen the open day sessions.”

Community members say that a stress counseling phone number published on the Indian Consulate website is useless. "When I dialled the mobile phone number, the woman at the other side was rude and replied that the number was no more used for counseling and directed me to the Indian Workers Resource Centre,” said S, another distressed Indian, who has been seeking help. "After consulting a senior official, she banged the phone down on me," he added.

After contemplating suicide two times, the man approached various associations and groups seeking help, but to no use. "When I contacted the Indian Workers Resource centre, the number was continuously engaged with just a pre-recorded message, “Sorry, all lines are busy, please call later”.

One call centre agent who picked up one of his calls said that he received many distress calls and the callers are directed for a personal meeting with legal advisors and financial counselors.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy and the Indian Consulate resumed their Open House on the first Sunday of each month.

“It is disappointing that only three or four Indians attended an open forum organised by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabhi. It shows that Indians are disillusioned and disappointed with the way Indian missions are working. The diplomats are busy inaugurating shops or pampering businessmen or visiting ministers and dignitaries and do not have time to address the common man’s issues. They are stationed abroad to look after the welfare of the Indian community and their salary is paid by the tax payers, but  the officials find solace in an outsourced call center to address such grave problems,” said a senior Indian community member.

Even though the Indian community welfare fund has enough money, the bulk of it is said to be lying unused, he claimed.

Indians availing consulate or embassy services are charged Dh10 extra that go to the ICWRC Fund.

(Image courtesy Shutterstock)