Pravasi Divas a bag of false promises: Gulf NRIs

Dubai, Jan 10: Some influential Indian businessmen and community activists in the United Arab Emirates have said the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) held every year in India caters to the needs of wealthy people of Indian origin (PIO) only.

The meetings have become no more than a networking opportunity for businessmen and rich PIOs. The Non-Resident Indians said adding they are no longer interested in attending the event.

''Indians living in the Gulf are not given any special treatment.

This is because we do not have the option to take dual nationality.

Although we live outside India we are Indians,'' Convenor of the Indian Community Welfare Committee K Kumar told Gulf News.

Social worker and businessman Bharatbhai Shah, said he stopped attending the meeting as the focus is on PIOs from rich countries.

''For Gulf Non-Resident Indians they only extend a bag of false promises. I forwarded the grievances and demands of NRIs here to the office of Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi. But so far nothing has been done,'' he lamented.

Mr Ram Buxani, founder president of Indian Overseas Forum, said although setting up an Overseas Ministry for Indians is a good idea, its objectives are not realised with ministers and bureaucrats in charge being changed frequently.

The three-day event held every January is intended to provide a platform for the Indian diaspora in 101 countries to enable the government build a strong and sustainable partnership with them.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2007 concluded yesterday.

UNI

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