He saga of a devastating Dalit waiting to return home after 28 years

The 62-year-old Manuwada Narsaih, native of Cheerlavancha village in Sircilla Mandal, not even once looked back home since his arrival in 1996 in Bahrain and has not returned home since then.

Jeddah: The fate of destitute Telangana stranded worker in Gulf remains unknown as he languishing behind bars and waiting to reach out his family that dislocated following the construction of Mid Manair Dam (MMD) wherein 12 villages completely submerged in the in Rajanna Sircilla district.

The 62-year-old Manuwada Narsaih, native of Cheerlavancha village in Sircilla Mandal, not even once looked back home since his arrival in 1996 in Bahrain and has not returned home since then.

Unable to cater to the family needs with a meagre salary as construction worker, belonging to schedule caste and landless family, Narsaih had absconded from his employer, thus became illegal in the Kingdom not being able to renew residency visa or Passport. Narsaih’s visa expired 21 years ago, and his passport 13 years ago.

Meanwhile, his family life has changed drastically with the construction of the dam, the family relocated as the village completely submerged. It did not receive any handsome compensation unlike others, as it is not in possession of any landholding.

Marred with family issues Narsaih life is complicated as wife Laxmi becomes bedridden with prolonged illness, daughter’s interfaith marriage without consent of the family. The only son becomes an alcoholic addict, adding miseries to the devastating family.

Further, compounding the woes, Narsaih was apprehended by police in a routine inspection of visa violations last year and since then he has been behind bars and waiting for repatriation. The destitute family has contacted Pravasi Mitra president Manda Bheem Reddy to expedite the repatriation of Narsaih.

The only photo identification that Narsaih family is carrying is a voter identity card that was issued in 2003 when his village was part of Narella Assembly constituency, which now no longer exists following delimitation of assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies.

The verification of stranded Indians whose Passports expired or not in possession is mandatory prior to issuing a travel document by Indian missions abroad. The exercise is being carried out by Indian missions with the help of police back home. In this background, Identification of photo and other particulars of Narsaih is under verification for months. Now, 62-years old Narsaih endlessly has been waiting to identify him when he was 34-year-old.

Whenever Narsaih returns home, he will find not only erasing every trace of his village where he was born and brought up and also shattering the family for whom he came to the Gulf.

Courtesy:  Siasat Daily

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