Dubai, January 09: Indian expatriates in the UAE are by and large excited over the statement of their country’s prime minister on Friday that his government would strive to give voting rights to Non-Resident Indians by the next general elections.
However, many feel that this was long overdue. In normal circumstances, the next elections would be held only after four years from now, and many NRIs are sceptical whether the promises made now would be remembered then.
“I am glad that voting rights for NRIs will soon become a reality. Since NRIs have chosen to retain their Indian citizenship, they are very much part and parcel of Indian democracy and their participation should be a natural right. Such representation exists in many other countries with large diasporas. This decision will definitely enhance creativity and innovation in Indian politics and will lead to much larger direct NRI investment in India,” said Jonia Mathew, vice-president of the Indian Ladies Association, Abu Dhabi.
“Definitely a step in the right direction. Earlier for me, there was a sense of disconnect as an Indian because one did not have a say in the proceedings of the country. I feel like an Indian all over again and now being an NRI, I feel there is a commonality between the diaspora and those in India, said Niharika Prem Nath, a bank employee in Dubai.
“Wow. This is definitely a good idea. It’s the basic fundamental right of an Indian citizen to vote no matter where he or she is living. NRIs are also part of democratic India,” said Keshav Murthy, a manager at Tripp Lite, Dubai.
“This decision will add value to India; NRIs will now have a direct stake in Indian political system, and they will contribute their intellectual and organisational abilities to support the present government’s initiatives to make the system more accountable. The NRIs will also be more confident to make investments in India as well as to act as catalysts to woo foreign investments,” said Dr J. R. Gangaramani who heads the leading construction conglomerate Al Fara’a.
“This is a good announcement, but the government should stick to its words, and not retract later,” said Samuel Chacko, an AC mechanic in Abu Dhabi. Chacko, who is now 54, has been working in different emirates in the UAE for nearly 25 years.
“The decision answers a long-standing appeal of the Indian expatriate community. NRIs are people who toil for their homeland far away from home, have strong nationalistic feelings and clear opinions on various developments in India. In spite of that, we didn’t have a voice in the political system of the country. On a different level, this measure would be a morale booster and could motivate NRIs to contribute more to the welfare activities of the country,” said Dr B. R. Shetty, MD & CEO, NMC Group
“It would indeed be a long-cherished dream come true for all NRIs. Though talks and promises on this issue have been a regular feature during the past Pravasi Bharat Diwas meetings, I hope that the present government will ensure its implementation during this tenure itself, as promised by the prime minister today,” said M. A. Yusuffali, head of the Emke Group.
“By announcing this, I feel an intention to go for NRI voting is in active consideration of Dr Manmohan Singh’s government. To put this into practice, a lot of preparation is required. I hope the government would make a fast move to make this a reality,” says Sudhir Shetty, Chief Operating Officer of the UAE Xchange and president of the India Social and Cultural Centre.
–Agencies