Indian workers facing opposition in Taiwan

Opposition party alleges Indian workers have criminal tendencies

Taipei (Taiwan) – In Taiwan’s local elections, Indians are facing opposition through demands to expel Indian workers. An independent candidate has put up anti-India poster. It carried a large “No” prohibition symbol over the image of a Sikh man wearing a turban. Through such posters, demands are being made to expel migrant Indian workers. Taiwan is preparing to invite Indian workers under the labour cooperation agreement signed with India. Since this controversy has arisen at such a time, it is being considered seriously. According to this agreement, around 1,000 Indian workers will reach Taiwan by the end of this year. Thereafter, if the arrangement functions properly and industrial demand increases, this number may be increased further.

1. Taiwan has been facing labour shortage for years. Its birth rate is steadily declining, its population is aging, and its youth population is decreasing. This is particularly affecting sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, construction, and elderly care. For this reason, Taiwan has long been inviting labourers from other Asian countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand. It has now decided to include India in this list as well.

2. Taiwan’s opposition party, the Kuomintang, is opposing the move to invite Indian labourers. Member of Parliament Huang Chien-pin cited statistics from India’s National Crime Records Bureau. He had stated in Parliament that in 2022, more than 4,45,000 crimes against women were registered in India, including more than 31,000 cases of rape. Under such circumstances, stricter scrutiny and surveillance should be imposed on Indian labourers. He said that Indian labourers could commit rape against women there.

3. Wang Yi-heng, leader of Taiwan’s local political party New Power Party, criticised the poster. He said that placing a prohibition symbol over the Indian flag and turban reflected ignorance. A turban is not merely a piece of cloth, but a symbol of faith and honour.

Indians call it racism

An Indian residing in Taiwan described this on social media as “racial discrimination”. He said that opposing a policy is one thing, but targeting the identity and cultural symbols of a community is wrong.