Indian workers have said their government’s plan to assign orange-coloured passport covers for migrants who have not completed school is “unfair and discriminatory”.
The orange jacket will replace the emigration clearance on the last page of an Indian passport that is mandatory for unskilled and semi-skilled workers who have not completed Grade 10.
The Indian government decision will affect migrant workers in 17 countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.
Reji Sunny, who works with a delivery company, said the distinctive colour would brand workers as uneducated. He said creating such distinctions was wrong.
“People will look at us differently and that is not good for us. They will immediately know your qualification,” said Sunny.
“There is a bar code inside the passport so they have all our information. What is the need for a new colour outside?”
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs government made the announcement last Friday. It said the decision would easily identify and protect labourers who have not completed Grade 10 who could be duped by unscrupulous agents. But workers and welfare officials say it will trigger divisions.
The decision follows a plan to discontinue the last page of an Indian passport with details of parents or spouse names, residential address and a space that states if an emigration check is required.
Sunny completed Grade 10 in India but when he moved to the Middle East 12 years ago, he was required to submit details of his work contract and health insurance to a government official in India to secure an emigration clearance stamp in his passport before leaving his home country.
He is worried the fresh rules will segregate him and force him to resubmit work papers along with other new orange cover passport holders.
“How will colour help keep people safe?” asked Sunny.
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Currently There are three types of Indian passports issued including a navy blue passport for regular citizens, a maroon passport for diplomats and a white cover for government officials.
Saidalavi KP came to the UAE 40 years ago. As he left school after grade four, he would be among the orange passport holders.
“It will make us feel bad and shy when we take out our passport in public places. People will realise immediately that this man is not educated,” said Saidalavi, who was initially employed as a cook and now works as a driver.
“It will separate people and divide them. It’s not good. In a democracy why should there be two sets of people? They can continue to enter our details inside the passport. Why should they change the colour? It will create more barriers.”
KV Shamsudheen, chairman of the Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust that offers advice to workers, posted a petition on Facebook appealing to the Indian government to withdraw the proposal and has urged non-resident Indians (NRIs) to email the petition to Indian officials. The plea asks for the last page details in passports to remain.
“We are segregating our citizens and those with orange passports will be considered second grade. Colouring a passport is not a solution. There is exploitation everywhere by recruiting agents but these are issues the government must tackle,” he said.
“They cannot dismiss this and say there are other colours. The different colour of diplomats and government officials’ passport denotes respect. But orange will degrade citizens. People who have money and education get respect and easy access to services, but with this new mentality workers will be pushed aside even more.”
It could also create further hassles for travel. Indians use a passport’s last page with their parents’ names and residential address details as official proof when applying for tourist visas since this has been verified by the police and government.
“If they delete the last page, we will have to submit additional certificates from India,” Mr Shamsuheen said.
“Also if I apply for travel visas for my parents, I will have to get more documents attested to prove they are my parents. We appeal against the orange passport so they keep the status quo.”
Emigration clearance is mandatory for workers with jobs in Middle East
As per Indian law, an emigration check on the last page of a passport is required for workers who find employment in countries including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kuwait, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, the UAE and Yemen.
This does not apply to people who have completed high school and pay income tax. They do not require such clearance before travelling overseas for work.
The mandatory emigration check was put in place because there have been several instances of workers taking huge loans to pay agents in return for employment overseas but once they arrive in the Gulf, the labourers are coerced into low paying jobs with few benefits.
Documents that unskilled and semi-skilled workers travelling to 17 countries must submit include the employment contract, attested by the Indian mission of the country the worker will be employed in, and health insurance.
In specified cases, recruiting agents must submit affidavits that the worker will be employed by the same foreign employer by whom they have been recruited and will be paid the salary specified in the contract.
Once this is done, the emigration clearance is granted by an Indian official on the last page of a passport.
The new orange jacket passport for workers seeks to replace the passport's last-page emigration clearance details.
The government believed the colour would help immigration officials easily identify workers and check if their papers were properly vetted to prevent vulnerable labourers from being exploited.
Earlier, the father's name was also mandatory on the last page of an Indian passport. But following recommendations from the Ministry of Women and Child Development that which pointed out that the father's name was not relevant in cases of a single mother, it is no longer a requirement.
No date has yet been given for issuing of the new orange passports.
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Kalra's feat
- Becomes fifth batsman to score century in U19 final
- Becomes second Indian to score century in U19 final after Unmukt Chand in 2012
- Scored 122 in youth Test on tour of England
- Bought by Delhi Daredevils for base price of two million Indian rupees (Dh115,000) in 2018 IPL auction
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):
PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)
Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Liverpool’s fixtures until end of 2019
Saturday, November 30, Brighton (h)
Wednesday, December 4, Everton (h)
Saturday, December 7, Bournemouth (a)
Tuesday, December 10, Salzburg (a) CL
Saturday, December 14, Watford (h)
Tuesday, December 17, Aston Villa (a) League Cup
Wednesday, December 18, Club World Cup in Qatar
Saturday, December 21, Club World Cup in Qatar
Thursday, December 26, Leicester (a)
Sunday, December 29, Wolves (h)
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Racecard
6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.10pm: British Business Group – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: CCI France UAE – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
8.20pm: Czech Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,400m
8.55pm: Netherlands Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Indian Business and Professional Council – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Fixtures:
Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final
Table:
1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4
5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
MATCH INFO
Newcastle 2-2 Manchester City
Burnley 0-2 Crystal Palace
Chelsea 0-1 West Ham
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton
Tottenham 3-2 Bournemouth
Southampton v Watford (late)
NINE WINLESS GAMES
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace (Oct 27, PL)
Liverpool 5-5 Arsenal (Oct 30, EFL)
Arsenal 1-1 Wolves (Nov 02, PL)
Vitoria Guimaraes 1-1 Arsenal (Nov 6, Europa)
Leicester 2-0 Arsenal (Nov 9, PL)
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton (Nov 23, PL)
Arsenal 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt (Nov 28, Europa)
Norwich 2-2 Arsenal (Dec 01, PL)
Arsenal 1-2 Brighton (Dec 05, PL)
Result
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Brraq, Ryan Curatolo (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m; Winner: Bright Melody, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Naval Crown, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m; Winner: Volcanic Sky, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Star Safari, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Zainhom, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Donating your hair
• Your hair should be least 30 cms long, as some of the hair is lost during manufacturing of the wigs.
• Clean, dry hair in good condition (no split ends) from any gender, and of any natural colour, is required.
• Straight, wavy, curly, permed or chemically straightened is permitted.
• Dyed hair must be of a natural colour
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.