Tamils coming from abroad being fleeced by State govt., says MP

Su. Venkatesan, MP, has charged that Tamils returning to India from foreign countries through chartered flights by pooling their resources and through sponsors were fleeced by the Tamil Nadu government.

The State government was collecting over ₹20,000 from each passenger for the mandatory paid services for COVID-19 tests and quarantine facility, he said in a statement. “They are charged even for their transport from airport to quarantine facility,” he said.

“Kerala Government is not collecting any such money for these services from people who come by chartered flights,” he said.

The Centre and State were ignoring the Tamils living abroad, especially those in Gulf countries, as not many flights were being operated for them.

Out of 1,175 Vande Bharat flight services operated to evacuate Indians living abroad, 279 flights were operated to Kerala. Among them, 238 were from Gulf countries and they brought back 20,000 people to Kerala. However, only 14,000 Tamils from various countries, including 5,000 from Gulf countries, have returned through 53 flight services.

He flayed the Tamil Nadu Government for having failed to press for more flights for evacuation of Tamils stranded in various countries.

“At this rate, it will take at least another two months to bring back hundreds of Tamils who have registered for returning home,” he said.

Mr. Venkatesan said that government should appoint a special officer to deal with stranded Tamils in foreign soil.

For many of them, their visa period had expired. Many had lost their jobs. Among them there were pregnant women, aged people and those who have lost their dear ones back home.

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