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Happy New Year Twenty-Ten
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The Indian community in the UK on Friday hailed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's
indication that Indian passport holders living abroad may get voting rights by
the time of next Lok Sabha elections take place in 2014.
Inaugurating Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations in New Delhi today, Singh
indicated that voting rights could be extended to Indian passport holders but
not to those having Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cards.
"We are happy with the Prime Minister's announcement," Amit Kapadia, Executive
Director of HSMP Forum, campaigning for the rights of Indian immigrants in the
UK, said.
"We feel glad that we can retain our right to voice our opinion in the
country's political matters. However we would hope that the Indian government
would go one step further and grant dual citizenship to Indian immigrants
settled abroad," he said.
Kapadia said that dual citizenship meant a lot to Indian immigrants who had a
strong sense of belonging with their country despite having settled abroad and
would add to the wealth of benefits that NRIs bring to India.
"Voting rights are a positive step towards bringing us back into the fold but
we want dual citizenship which could well be the umbilical cord that bonds us
with our motherland.
There can be no alternative for dual citizenship", he said. It will strengthen
business ties and enrich knowledge exchange and also encourage NRIs to play an
active role in the country's affairs and development, he said.
Forum, campaigning for the rights of Indian immigrants in the UK, said.
"We feel glad that we can retain our right to voice our opinion in the
country's political matters. However we would hope that the Indian government
would go one step further and grant dual citizenship to Indian immigrants
settled abroad," he said.
Kapadia said that dual citizenship meant a lot to Indian immigrants who had a
strong sense of belonging with their country despite having settled abroad and
would add to the wealth of benefits that NRIs bring to India.
"Voting rights are a positive step towards bringing us back into the fold but
we want dual citizenship which could well be the umbilical cord that bonds us
with our motherland.
There can be no alternative for dual citizenship", he said. It will strengthen
business ties and enrich knowledge exchange and also encourage NRIs to play an
active role in the country's affairs and development, he said.
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