Gulf Daily News reported today that a group of 38 Indian men working for a Manama-based construction company held a demonstration yesterday in front of the Indian embassy in the capital. The protesters said that that their monthly salaries, ranging from 80-90 Bahraini dinars ($210-240), haven't been paid for the last five months. When the workers complained to their employer about this, they were verbally and physically assaulted. In addition, the workers, who've spent between three to ten years with the company, reported that their wages have been suddenly cut and they are forced to work overtime without pay. The workers said that they're inability to send back remittances is causing problems for their families.
The protesting workers detailed other forms of mistreatment from their employer. For example, one of the workers whose mother died three months ago, was not allowed to return to India to mourn her. The workers added that when they are sick, they're not allowed to go to hospitals and that their visas had not been renewed for the last three years. The workers lodged a complaint against their sponsor with the Bahraini police with the support of the Indian embassy in the emirate.