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HSMP Forum
& Association of Immigrant's letter to Indian Prime Minister for Dual
Citizenship for Indians abroad
www.hsmpforum.org /
www.aimms.org
Date - 12th Dec 2009
To,
Honourable Prime Minister of India,
Sub – Dual Citizenship for Indians
abroad
Dear Honourable Prime Minister,
As the executive director of the
Association of Immigrants and HSMP (Highly Skilled Migrants) Forum
representing various immigrant communities in the UK, let me take
this opportunity to extend our best wishes for a prosperous year ahead
in 2010.
Indian
immigrants constitute a vast presence in 180 of the 183 countries of the
world according to the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. The
achievements of immigrant citizens have been a source of great pride,
which has been generously covered by the Indian media time and again.
We have a
deep sense of commitment to our adopted country since it has provided us
with opportunities to build new lives for ourselves and raise families.
Having pursued our goals relentlessly for years, many of us have earned
the right to citizenship, which consolidates our position in our adopted
country and facilitates investments in our home country in terms of
trade, property and other financial matters. No country would want to
make citizens of those who do not care about the country of their birth.
Although we have embraced a different culture and a way of life, India
still remains our home to which most of us return at regular intervals.
Such
investments are our way of offering gratitude to the motherland, and
also serve the country’s economy. At a point when we are in a better
position to make significant contribution to the country’s economy even
in the current economic climate, the Indian government is closing doors
on us by denying us dual citizenship. When mutual collaboration is the
need of the hour, the Indian government’s policy of denying dual
citizenship and making us relinquish our Indian passports in order to
accept foreign citizenship is a major deterrent and a source of great
disappointment. Dual citizenship is very important for those of us who
have already obtained citizenship of the adopted country and for those
of us who are in a state of dilemma in applying for foreign citizenship.
The OCI and
PIO cards fall short of the security that is given by the Indian
passport. It robs us of the psychological assurance about our national
identity and severs our sense of belonging with our motherland. Since
time immemorial, Indians have taken the risk of charting out new
directions and have settled down in countries under challenging
circumstances. Today, when we return to our country of birth, we would
like to feel that our country recognises our efforts and welcomes us
with open arms instead of treating us like outsiders who have to queue
up to claim entry into their own country.
The OCI card
deprives of our fundamental birthright: the right to vote. Even Indian
immigrants in the UK enjoy voting rights in the UK elections as citizens
of the Commonwealth. However, it is ironical that we are denied the same
basic rights as OCI cardholders in a country where we are citizens by
birth. This certainly does not respect the patriotic fervour among the
NRI global community who show keen interest in the well being of their
home country and deserve the right to participate in its electoral
process. Most disappointing is the fact that until recently we were
allowed to keep our cancelled passports, but now we end up paying an
additional fee just to surrender it. It not only takes away a memory and
a sense of belonging but also gives rise to security concerns.
Today,
Indian professionals are scattered all over the globe and India cannot
afford to stick to the single citizenship policy if it wishes to harness
on the achievements and the influence wielded by Indian immigrants.
Majority of the democratic countries offer dual citizenship to its citizens or permit their citizens to hold
on to their citizenship even when they apply for foreign citizenship.
Why does a large democratic country like India, which otherwise steers
clear of communist policies, prefers to align on this rigid, unfriendly
policy?
It is
important to blend in with changing times in this increasingly
interconnected world and amend policies for concurrent holistic growth
of the society and the country. Many of us have consciously or
unconsciously adapted to the ways of our adopted country and though we
still remain emotionally connected to our cultural roots the next
generation are growing up with the dual cultural identities. Dual
citizenship will also benefit India in promoting Indian ideals and
values around the world.
A good
number of Indian citizens from every city and town tend to work and
settle abroad and it is not only they but also their families, relatives
and friends in India who would want them to retain their Indian
citizenship alongside their foreign documents. But the government does
not consider us to be a part and requires us to buy a separate sheet of
paper to enter our home. It is not only unfair but a clear disregard for
India’s proudly held democratic ideals, not to mention the feeling of
expulsion and humiliation for denying us the right to our Indian
passport which brought us to our adopted country in the first place.
As the
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2010 confluence gets underway, we would like to
urge the government to take our appeal into consideration and make dual
citizenship a reality.
We are proud
to be Indians. Please do not deny us the right to feel so.
Respectfully yours,
Amit Kapadia
Executive Director (Chairman) HSMP Forum & Association of Immigrants |