FOUNDATION’S DUAL NATIONALITY PROPOSAL IS CALLED “A HIT” BY INDIAN MEDIA

Foundation for Critical Choices for India, a Think Tank of Indian Diaspora in the Netherlands, presented to Government of India and to the Special High Level Committee on Indian Diaspora appointed by it in 1980s and 1990s, a proposal for grant of dual nationality. Foundation argued that this will strengthen the already existing bond between India and its diaspora as well as accelerate financial and other diaspora contributions to socio-economic development of India. The proposal was based on a detailed study of the use of dual nationality worldwide, particularly by many developing countries having a sizable diaspora.

Based on our proposal and requests by Indian diaspora from other countries, BJP Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Bajpayee announced grant of dual nationality to Indian diaspora in 7 countries, including the Netherlands on reciprocal basis.  However, Indian diaspora from other countries which were left out also demanded to be included. Later the Congress Government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh developed the new concept of “Overseas Citizenship of India” (OCI) which gave all the rights to the holder except the right of voting and standing for election. OCI is a lifelong visa for India using which members of Indian diaspora can visit the motherland any number of times and easily buy and sale property, set up enterprises, undertake charitable activities, etc.

Foundation is glad that though late the Foundation’s proposal presented many decades ago, has been accepted in a modified form and today more than 20,000 diaspora members are recipients of OCI. Foundation has recently published an account of its existence and work for more than 25 years (Foundation for Critical Choices for India : A Quarter Century of Service to India), available as a complimentary copy from the Foundation.  In this year the Foundation has already conducted two Seminars on current critical issues of “Small versus Big States” and “Judicial Reforms in India : Relevance of European experience” which were addressed by prominent experts from India and the Netherlands as well as the Trustees of the Foundation. The forthcoming seminars will be on the topics of “Governance Reforms and Corruption”. Details of these will be announced in due course.