Punished for taking a stand

Worker assaulted for refusing to work overtime

By V L Srinivasan

Manama (Bahrain), Oct 2: Despair was writ large on the face of Prabhakaran Kunjumon as he described to DT how he was assaulted and thrown out of the company accommodation four days ago, for refusing to work overtime.

But he looked satisfied yesterday after lighting the Nilivilakku, the traditional lamp, at the Onasadhya 2010, in the presence of Indian Ambassador to Bahrain Dr. George Joseph and other dignitaries.

The event was organised by the Surya Social and Cultural Association (SSCA) at the Indian Club for Indian expat workers located in various labour camps across the Kingdom.

Recalling the incident, Prabhakaran said that although he was already working from 3am to 4.30pm every day, his employers wanted him to work till 8.30pm on Tuesday. “When I expressed my inability, as I had to attend to domestic chores, I was assaulted by the company foreman at the behest of the sponsor,” Prabhakaran alleged.

Denied transportation home, Prabhakaran walked 8km from the worksite to the company accommodation in Askar, but fearing another assault he decided to spend the night elsewhere.

The next day, he approached the Riffa police station and lodged a complaint against the sponsor and the person who assaulted him. The police asked him to get a medical examination done at the Salmaniya Medical Complex and to submit the report to them.

Angered by Prabhakaran’s decision to go to the police, the sponsor allegedly kicked him out of the company accommodation on Wednesday.

After spending the whole day on the streets, Prabhakaran went to the Indian Embassy on Thursday where he met SSCA vice president T. Sudhir and told him of his plight. Sudhir made arrangements for the worker to stay at the house of one of his friends.

“We have taken him for a medical examination and got the report which confirmed that he was manhandled,” SSCA President P. P. Basheer told DT. Indian Embassy officials are also trying to help him out, Basheer said.

Prabhakaran is said to be reluctant to return to India as he borrowed BD440 to get the job in Bahrain and has yet to clear the debt. In addition to this, he says he was promised a salary of BD120 but was paid only BD80 per month for the past year. “I availed of the loan on interest and I cannot return unless I clear it,” he said.

Prabhakaran has been working for the private construction company as a shovel operator for one year. He says he was threatened before for refusing to work extra hours, but this is the first time he was beaten up.

The sponsor has reportedly promised Prabhakaran his salary for last month provided he withdraws the police complaint.

However, the SSCA is not willing to agree to this condition. “We are demanding that compensation be given to Prabhakaran,” Basheer said.