NEW DELHI: In another era, rescuing India from trouble on 22 meters was his daily job, but as an MP, Harbhajan Singh recently had the opportunity to perform a more important task – rescuing an Indian citizen in distress , held captive in a foreign land.
One of India’s greatest bowlers, who was nominated by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for Rajya Sabharecently played a very important role with Indian Embassy in Oman to rescue a 21-year-old Bathinda Kamaljet Kaurwho was “illegally detained and abused by her employers”.
His passport and SIM card were also confiscated.
Asked about the incident, Harbhajan told PTI, “This would not have been possible without the help of the Indian Embassy in Oman and our Ambassador, Mr. Amit Narang. His contribution was invaluable.” .
“Regarding my intervention, this Rajya Sabha headquarters is to help people in need and a girl from our country was in need. I just did my job. It was very kind of the Embassy of India to call me and inform me that Kamaljeet is back home in Punjab safe and sound.”
Kamaljeet, who is now back in his home village of Barkandi in Bathinda, and his father Sikandar Singh spoke to PTI about their week-long ordeal and how travel and placement agents in Punjab are bleeding people financially. poor families with the promise of a better future.
Kamaljeet was to join an Indian family but was transferred to an office directly from the airport.
“My father is a day laborer and we are a family of three. Being the eldest of three siblings, I wanted to help my father and had approached a local agent by the name of Jagseer Singh, who had promised me the job. of cooking with a Hindi-speaking Indian family in Oman,” an emotionally exhausted Kamaljeet began to tell her heartbreaking story.
“It was towards the end of last month that I left for Muscat. I have been told that if my service proves satisfactory, I will be employed either in Singapore or in Australia where there is a large Punjabi population.
“But the moment I landed and left Muscat airport, I could sense there was something wrong when I saw the chaperone accompanying us,” he said. she stated.
Kamaljeet was taken to a place, Falaj Al Qabail, by the Omani agent named “Arban” and when asked to move into a big office, she realized that she had been tricked by the agent .
“There were two ladies, Maryam and Seema, who were looking after about 20 women, all of them Indian, who were working there. They first took my passport and my SIM card. No explanation was given. given as to reason.
“I had to wear a burqa and learn the Arabic language. It was an office, not an Indian family,” she recalls last week’s horror.
However, Kamaljeet mustered up his courage and bought a new SIM card to get in touch with his family and told his nightmare.
“I was scared and told my dad that they were the wrong people and that I had to get out. There were so many distressed girls being held captive. I felt so helpless, but luckily they learned that I had I bought a local sim I was beaten with a stick that day.
Her father Sikandar meanwhile contacted local agent Jagseer who then threatened him and demanded Rs 2.5 lakh to release his daughter’s passport.
“Meri beti ko kut rahein si. Main darr gaya si. Makaan girwi raakh diya aur paisa agent ko diya (They had beaten my daughter. I was afraid for her safety. So I mortgaged my house and lent Rs 2.5 lakh and gave it to the agent),” Sikandar said.
It was then that the father got in touch with his brother, who knew a local PAA leader.
“An acquaintance of my uncle in Punjab knew MP Harbhajan Singh ji. When he was told about me, he immediately contacted the Indian Embassy.
“I can’t thank Harbhajan ji enough. Unki bahut bada help raha aur unke phone ke baad mujhe Indian Embassy se call aaya. (After Harbhajan called, I got a call from Indian Embassy). Just three hours from my flight on September 3, they gave me my passport and my SIM card.”
Kamaljeet said officials at the Indian Embassy gave him a lot of trust and actually asked him why his father had paid the agent.
“They were very kind and cordial. They told me ki aapne agent ko paise kyon diye. Hum toh aap ko waise hi chura lete. Embassy officials also checked me to see if I had returned home safely. me.
“But my appeal to the government is to ensure that all these girls, whose passports are confiscated and forced to work against their will, are rescued from slavery.”
Harbhajan, who is one of Punjab’s biggest icons, said the problem is deep-rooted.
“In Punjab, we have families who sell everything to send their children abroad in the hope of a better future. Some I know have even spent 50 lakh. There is a connection with Punjab where innocent are misled and duped financially.
“We have to sever that link. It’s not just one Kamaljeet but hundreds being sent to other countries through illegal trafficking,” he said.
But could he have helped Kamaljeet if he had not been an MP?
“Yes, my political profile helped me and I was able to use that access to call the Indian Embassy. But if you know me, if I had been the ex-cricketer Harbhajan, I would still have used all my strength and made sure she got home,” he concluded.
One of India’s greatest bowlers, who was nominated by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for Rajya Sabharecently played a very important role with Indian Embassy in Oman to rescue a 21-year-old Bathinda Kamaljet Kaurwho was “illegally detained and abused by her employers”.
His passport and SIM card were also confiscated.
Asked about the incident, Harbhajan told PTI, “This would not have been possible without the help of the Indian Embassy in Oman and our Ambassador, Mr. Amit Narang. His contribution was invaluable.” .
“Regarding my intervention, this Rajya Sabha headquarters is to help people in need and a girl from our country was in need. I just did my job. It was very kind of the Embassy of India to call me and inform me that Kamaljeet is back home in Punjab safe and sound.”
Kamaljeet, who is now back in his home village of Barkandi in Bathinda, and his father Sikandar Singh spoke to PTI about their week-long ordeal and how travel and placement agents in Punjab are bleeding people financially. poor families with the promise of a better future.
Kamaljeet was to join an Indian family but was transferred to an office directly from the airport.
“My father is a day laborer and we are a family of three. Being the eldest of three siblings, I wanted to help my father and had approached a local agent by the name of Jagseer Singh, who had promised me the job. of cooking with a Hindi-speaking Indian family in Oman,” an emotionally exhausted Kamaljeet began to tell her heartbreaking story.
“It was towards the end of last month that I left for Muscat. I have been told that if my service proves satisfactory, I will be employed either in Singapore or in Australia where there is a large Punjabi population.
“But the moment I landed and left Muscat airport, I could sense there was something wrong when I saw the chaperone accompanying us,” he said. she stated.
Kamaljeet was taken to a place, Falaj Al Qabail, by the Omani agent named “Arban” and when asked to move into a big office, she realized that she had been tricked by the agent .
“There were two ladies, Maryam and Seema, who were looking after about 20 women, all of them Indian, who were working there. They first took my passport and my SIM card. No explanation was given. given as to reason.
“I had to wear a burqa and learn the Arabic language. It was an office, not an Indian family,” she recalls last week’s horror.
However, Kamaljeet mustered up his courage and bought a new SIM card to get in touch with his family and told his nightmare.
“I was scared and told my dad that they were the wrong people and that I had to get out. There were so many distressed girls being held captive. I felt so helpless, but luckily they learned that I had I bought a local sim I was beaten with a stick that day.
Her father Sikandar meanwhile contacted local agent Jagseer who then threatened him and demanded Rs 2.5 lakh to release his daughter’s passport.
“Meri beti ko kut rahein si. Main darr gaya si. Makaan girwi raakh diya aur paisa agent ko diya (They had beaten my daughter. I was afraid for her safety. So I mortgaged my house and lent Rs 2.5 lakh and gave it to the agent),” Sikandar said.
It was then that the father got in touch with his brother, who knew a local PAA leader.
“An acquaintance of my uncle in Punjab knew MP Harbhajan Singh ji. When he was told about me, he immediately contacted the Indian Embassy.
“I can’t thank Harbhajan ji enough. Unki bahut bada help raha aur unke phone ke baad mujhe Indian Embassy se call aaya. (After Harbhajan called, I got a call from Indian Embassy). Just three hours from my flight on September 3, they gave me my passport and my SIM card.”
Kamaljeet said officials at the Indian Embassy gave him a lot of trust and actually asked him why his father had paid the agent.
“They were very kind and cordial. They told me ki aapne agent ko paise kyon diye. Hum toh aap ko waise hi chura lete. Embassy officials also checked me to see if I had returned home safely. me.
“But my appeal to the government is to ensure that all these girls, whose passports are confiscated and forced to work against their will, are rescued from slavery.”
Harbhajan, who is one of Punjab’s biggest icons, said the problem is deep-rooted.
“In Punjab, we have families who sell everything to send their children abroad in the hope of a better future. Some I know have even spent 50 lakh. There is a connection with Punjab where innocent are misled and duped financially.
“We have to sever that link. It’s not just one Kamaljeet but hundreds being sent to other countries through illegal trafficking,” he said.
But could he have helped Kamaljeet if he had not been an MP?
“Yes, my political profile helped me and I was able to use that access to call the Indian Embassy. But if you know me, if I had been the ex-cricketer Harbhajan, I would still have used all my strength and made sure she got home,” he concluded.
