Trade unions oppose Indian construction workers deployment to Israel

New Delhi: A section of trade union leaders on Wednesday alleged the Union government was trying to send construction workers to Israel without providing any insurance or ensuring their safety.

They said they would approach court over the issue if required.

General Secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Tapan Sen questioned the government's move to send workers to the conflict-hit country.

"In November the issue came out in the media that the Israel Builders Association had requested the government of India to send construction workers.

"At that time we had written to the prime minister and given a press statement opposing the entire process. Construction workers' unions and federations have also appealed to the government of India to not allow this," Sen told PTI.

"Thereafter, we have seen that the process is going on, and the UP government and Haryana government have been pushing it through. I think it is a PR exercise by Modi to please his Israeli counterpart," he said.

Sen said the exercise is being pushed through the National Skill Development Council (NSDC), which is a central government body.

"They are advertising it as a dream to go abroad, and they are pushing it through state governments. Response to that is very low, only 400 plus in both states together because workers are also not fools," he said.

"But the dangerous part is that whosoever applies because of the acute unemployment problem ... NSDC, and MEA have declined to take any responsibility for them, neither is there any job guarantee, nor any other insurance which should be done for migrant workers in other countries," he said.

"If they have any minimum sense of human consideration they should not allow it," he said.

Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) said if required, the trade unions will approach the court over the issue.

"We will go to court if need be. We will not allow our workers to be pushed into war zones," Kaur said.

"We are simply saying don't send the workers on three counts - Immigration laws are being ignored, you don't send workers to a war-torn area, you bring them back... They are doing it just for political reasons,"  she said.

"No guarantees are being given. What about their safety, wages?" she said.

Kaur added that even if these things were in place, it is still wrong to send Indian workers to replace Palestinians.

"They're being sent to replace Palestinians and we are opposed to the genocide," she said.