New Delhi, 1 December: Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu on Monday pressed the government to crack down on offshore labour recruiters accused of trafficking Indian youth through the “Dunki Route,” saying the scheme has pushed several young men into dangerous and unlawful situations abroad.
Speaking during Zero Hour, Sandhu told the House that many such agencies, especially in Punjab, were “selling dreams of foreign jobs” but handing their recruits over to illegal operators once they landed overseas. “After taking them to countries like Russia, these agents seize their passports and force them into activities that risk their lives,” he directly said. “Some were even pushed into the Russian Forces in the middle of the war.”
The MP cited recent cases of Punjabi men who thought they were joining construction projects in Russia but were instead coerced into military roles in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He said he had earlier alerted the MEA about the issue, which helped secure the return of dozens.
Sandhu thanked the MEA for bringing back 96 Indian nationals. Reports suggest 126 youths had travelled to Russia on fraudulent job promises; at least 12 died in combat, 18 remain in the field, and 16 are still unaccounted for.
He also recalled the May rescue of five Punjabi youths held in Capurganá, Colombia, during an illegal journey to the United States.
Calling the rising numbers “deeply worrying,” Sandhu urged a special government-led investigation and tighter surveillance of recruitment firms. “We must act before more lives are put at risk,” he said.
