File photo: YS Jaganmohan Reddy
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy today requested the Centre's intervention for ensuring the safe return of Indian nationals stranded in strife-hit Libya.
In a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Mr Reddy, the Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Assembly, quoted media reports that over 1,000 Indian nationals hailing from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are stranded in Libya without the means or resources to leave the country. Of those, nearly 100 workers are from Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.
"As the External Affairs ministry is responsible for the safety of Indians who are in other countries for their livelihood, I request you to kindly pursue the issue with the authorities concerned and ensure the safe return of the workers," said Mr Reddy.
According to him, the workers from Kurnool and other parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are not too well off and had left their families to earn money.
Mr Reddy noted that western countries have called all their nationals back in the wake of the turmoil in Libya. "There could be more Indians working in Libya, but a majority of them belong to Andhra Pradesh," Mr Reddy said as he requested Ms Swaraj to initiate steps to ensure the safe return of the workers.
He said he is writing the letter in all earnestness and it carries the anxiety and worry of the families of the workers stranded in Libya.