She was a saviour for 65 workers from south Gujarat trapped in Baghdad ‘hell’

Surat: Had Sushma Swaraj not intervened at that point, this story of horror would have quietly got buried somewhere in Iraqi soil. But for the 'saviour', these 65 constructions workers from south Gujarat could have not been brought back from the jaws of death.
Sixty-five men, mostly residents of Umargam, Bhilad and coastal villages of Gandevi and Chikli taluka of Navsari district, had joined Al-Yakub Company, an Iraqi construction firm, in 2016-17. Little did these people, comprising carpenters, masons, construction workers realize what was in store for them in the foreign country.
Recounting the virtual hell he was in, Naresh Patel, 45 of Ponsri village of Gandevi taluka, said, “We went to Iraq for work on a construction site and were kept nearby at Baghdad." Patel was not able to remember the exact dates, but the memories of the severely inhuman working conditions haunt him even today.
"We were even deprived of proper food," he recalled.
He further said that the workers were never paid the agreed salaries. "When we asked for our salaries, we were beaten up by local Iraqi goons. So we went on strike and were again beaten up,” added Patel.
Ten days later, they sent seven of us back but the others were struck due to lack of money and resources,” Patel said. Upon return, one of the survivors informed a relative in Bilimora, who approached minister Sushma Swaraj through the offices of local MP, CR Paatil.
True to her reputation, Swaraj, immediately swung into action. She informed the Indian embassy people in Baghdad, and not only got their documentation redone, but also ensured that the remaining trapped workers, too, reached their own country safely.