Chennai, March 1 Expressing concern over the prevailing situation in West Asia, Chief Minister M K Stalin has asked the Non-Resident Tamils Welfare and Rehabilitation Department to ascertain the status of Tamils living in the Gulf countries.
A control room has been established at the Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi and the situation is being monitored, he said.
Stalin, while maintaining that the government is in constant touch with the Tamils living in the Gulf countries, asserted that his government is ready to provide all the necessary assistance to them.
"If Tamils in the Gulf countries require any emergency assistance due to the prevailing situation, they or their family members in Tamil Nadu can contact the 24x7 toll-free numbers of the Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Department or the control room of the Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi," the CM said in a statement issued on February 28.
He appealed to the people seeking assistance to strictly follow the instructions issued by the Indian Embassy in their respective regions.
Stalin also shared the New Delhi Control Room Help Line Numbers 011-24193300, 09289516712 to people who need assistance. The contact numbers of Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Department is 1800 309 3793, overseas +91 80 69009900 +91 80 69009901, the release added.
AIADMK general secretary and the Leader of the Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the union government to take appropriate measures for the safety of Tamils living in the Gulf countries.
"Taking into account the tense situation prevailing in Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates, I request all our Indians and Tamil people living and working there to remain safe," he said.
"I urge the central government to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of the Tamils living there," Palaniswami said in a social media post.
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, whose party is an ally of the NDA, also appealed to the Centre to request the governments of the Gulf countries to ensure the safety of Indians living there by adopting methods that are feasible.
He said nearly one crore Indians live in Gulf countries, which include 40 lakh people in the UAE and 28 lakh in Saudi Arabia.
"Due to the situation, a great threat has arisen to the safey of Indians, including Tamils, living in the Gulf countries," Anbumani said in a statement on Sunday.
Observing that flight services to countries, including Dubai have been cancelled, a situation has emerged where Indians cannot be rescued, he said.
"I request Indians to remain safe by adhering to the advice provided by the government and security agencies of those countries," he said.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, while holding that he does not support foreign intervention, was also critical of the Iranian leadership.
"The Ayatollah’s regime was a cruel one. It stripped people of their rights, especially suppressing women and minorities through military rule," the Sivaganga MP told reporters.
Karti stated he would not "advocate" for Ayatollah's rule. "I support the Iranian people; they are an ancient people with a rich Persian culture and deserve to live in freedom. However, war is never the solution, and this crisis should have been resolved through dialogue," he added.
Meanwhile, leading a spattering of protests that hit the streets of Tamil Nadu on Sunday condemning the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, VCK founder and MP Thol Thirumavalavan urged the Government of India to break its silence and issue an immediate formal condemnation of the strikes.
Addressing the protesters in Chennai, Thirumavalavan characterised the military action as a peak of "US imperialism" and "American hegemony".
The VCK leader drew parallels between the current situation and the falls of leaders like Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, alleging that the United States consistently targets those who oppose its global dominance.
He further claimed that imperialist forces had a hand in various regional conflicts, including the Eelam killings and recent unrest in Nepal.
Several Muslim outfits across the state joined the agitation, with protesters raising slogans against the US and Israeli administrations. The organisations expressed deep concern over the "unbearable atrocities" and the escalating war, which they described as a threat to global peace and a targeted assault on Islamic leadership.
