State will help stranded Kannadigas in S Arabia

Mangaluru: Karnataka government will go all out to help Kannadigas stranded in Saudi Arabia once it gets the list of such people from the union government, noted R Roshan Baig, minister for urban development and Haj. The minister said he is in constant touch with ministers of state for external affairs M J Akbar and V K Singh.
In an informal chat on the sidelines of flagging of the first haj flight for the current haj season from old airport at Bajpe here on Wednesday, Roshan Baig said the state government as of now has no information on the exact number of Kannadigas stranded in Saudi Arabia."Once we get the list of such people, the government will go all out to either bring them back or work towards their rehabilitation back home in coordination with the centre," he said.
Noting that he is also in touch with Ahmed Javed, former Mumbai's top cop who is now India's ambassador to that nation, the minister said he has got information about the crisis confro- nting Indians there. Asserting he is thankful and grateful to all the autho- rities including the MEA for responding to the state's requests about Kann- adigas there, Baig asserted the state government is committed to their welfare. tnn