The author seems to be irate for reasons other then those he puts forward. Are PIOs only good for investments? My Father invested in land in our native Rajkot Gujrat 40 years ago, the land has been illegally occupied since and we have been fighting a lengthy legal battle for the past 23 years. Who would want to invest in a land without law and order? A society can be judged by how well the judicial system protects the rights of property. We have been through the State Judicial system of Gujurat and let me tell you it is putrid with blatant corruption. The law enforcement mechanism is no better. Of course the NRIs want to be able to pull their money out in a hurry. I am sure that most bankers who deal with NRI investments are pleased that they have a job thanks to NRI investment regardless of the circumstances or category of investment. So what is Mr. Mitra's problem? OK these are short term investments I am sure they can find their niche in such a large economy and produce some good.
Another note for Mr.Mitra When the US government was considering selling F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. I took time off work to go to Washington, DC and speak with my representative. With the help a few friends including some Euro-Americans we managed to do our bit to protect Indian interests. Sorry no investments here no tax free accounts just plain hard work, lobbying for a cause we believed in. I am sure you will agree that NRIs are not just about money. You really have to abandon the two frogs in a well mentality.
I would suggest that Rediff scan articles before publishing them. First of all, do Gulf countries offer dual citizenship and grant citizenships to people belonging to other countries. I doubt very much. Moreover, by his own admission, the quality of people in gulf countries is not that good. I am sure the gulf countries would not like these Indians to be their citizens. Infact, every now and then ,we hear countries like saudi, closing access to jobs(latest being taxi drivers) to outsiders. Also, there is no question of these poor workers not sending their money or emigrating to another land. They are certainly not welcome anywhere else!. There are no double standards here, its just practical reality that no gulf country will accept indians as their citizens (considering the population profile) and hence there is no need for dual citizenships!. Stop writing this kind of crap which denigrates the indian government (by clearly overlooking many facts)
RE:Absurd
by RR on Feb 19, 2003 06:32 AM
Great Show Mr. Akshaya. People like you are far better patriots than our politicians and intellectuals (of Red, Green and Saffron hues)
The author brings home some important points, although he is unfairly charitable to NRI's alone in this regard :-)
The tautological point that "people who go outside to look for things they don't find in India (lots of money, fame, respect, recognition etc.) never come back and look for those same things in India" is laughable only because of the novel way in which it is being made. Otherwise, the conclusion is rather devoid of substance or insight.
NRIs have been sending money, emotions, AND intellect back to India, far more than the national coffers can show.
Almost every nation symbolizes the "wandering" nomads of it's own with eulogies, myth and popular icons. Only in India can such a sub-population be systematically shamed by "educated elite" into never returning.
Be rest assured that the REAL NRI's are always contributing back to the country, be it in simply improving their lot, or proudly representing India in their current country of residence, or getting better education, or supporting REAL secular initiatives, or doing their VERY BEST in a "foreign land" under challenging circumstances, or mourning for their own pilots and space-women.
I mourn every life in India that is lost, not only in Mig21 or a challenger shuttle, but also on the trains, buses, autorickshaws, walkways, motorbikes and bullock carts, not to mention the unfair losses due to national apathy to a tragedy (Bhopal anyone?).
Every SINGLE life is precious. Like Richard Dawkins said, "there are far more ways to be dead than be alive". Being alive is such a rare event that we should treasure every life. But every life CANNOT aspire to become a symbol. Symbols, by definition, REPRESENT. In the world of "fame", symbols also ABSTRACT a statistical trend.
Symbols are not made, they EMERGE. You can't design a Kalpana Chawla or a Param Vir Chakra recipient.
Kalpana Chawla is a symbol, like the Mig21 fighter pilots: a symbol for someone who DARES to do things that others will not, AND succeeds at it, without regard to their own limited mortal frame. And in this, they both truly exhibit the highest dharma any Indian can aspire to, NRI or local.
Talking about Kalpana Chawla, Author seems to have forgotten, that she got NASA to take two students from her school every year on exchange program. One need not be a citizen of the country its the attitude of the person. Does she need to be Indian to do it? Please every coin has two sides and I say UAE is an absolute double standard country, harbouring all the terrorist, criminals and dancing to Pakistan tune. Why the anyone in right mind offer dual citizenship to citizens of such country. Also children's born to Indian immigrant in UAE do not get UAE citizen fyi. So much for the dual citizenship in Gulf countries. All the Indians who were thrown out from Uganda, when to UK, guess what some of them are most wealthiest person in UK right now, fyi author
