The Ministry of Labour and Human Resources has directed people of Indian origin working in the country to leave by Tuesday, November 29. However, no Bhutanese media from inside have reported the ministry’s order, and the actual reason behind this matter has remained yet unclear.
According to reports, convenor of overseas affairs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vijay Jolly, has sent a letter to the King and Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley, lodging a complaint against the move.
He said that the order violated the India-Bhutan friendship treaty clause 5, which envisages a closer co-relation between the people of the two nations.
“About 3,000 businessmen, workers and their dependents – all of Indian origin – working in Bhutan and contributing towards its growth and development for over 40-50 years, have been directed to get out of the Buddhist nation by Tuesday, November 29, 2011,” reports quoted Jolly as saying.
The BJP further said that Bhutan has always been a home away from home.
“Indians have lived and worked hard and productively in Bhutan. This category of people would never be an impediment to the indigenous Bhutanese workforce,” Jolly wrote in his letter.
Although it is a verbal order, but the signatures of the said affected people have been taken by the authorities, added reports.
He further added that most of these people are small-time businessmen/traders and workers.
“They have nowhere else to go and nothing to fall back upon as they have already spent the prime of their lives in Bhutan working for the country.”
The BJP also warned the Government of Bhutan that those Indian nationals have never been a threat to the integrity, unity, independence, sovereignty, socio-economic and cultural growth of Bhutan.
On behalf of BJP, Jolly demanded ‘The People of Indian Origin’ in Bhutan be treated with honour and respect. BJP has requested the king to intervene in the matter urgently and rescinded the order.
