Should NRIs be given voting rights?

[betty]

I searched the topics and didn't find any recent discussion on this....



So, what is your opinion?

Should NRIs be given voting rights? Should they be allowed to vote through postal ballots from their respective embassies, etc.?



Granting a dual citizenship and giving voting rights are two different things, and recently, at the Pravasi Divas, Manmohan Singh talked about granting voting rights....is he correct in doing so?

[gyanster]

..is he correct in doing so?

Damn well he is correct in doing so. Just imagine the amount of cash NRIs pump into India. That by itself should qualify them for voting rights.

[betty]

I don't think NRIs 'pump' in money into India, they usually 'invest' with an eye towards returns on their investment....there are very few who actually do charity work (I assume that's what you meant by 'pumping' money into India)...



Personally, I feel if you are not staying in a country, then

1) you will not know what is good/bad for it and

2) you will not be affected by the outcome of an election

...as much as the people who actually stay there.



So, to grant equal voting rights to people who left India to make money and pay their taxes elsehwere is unfair.

As for giving money, most of us working in India put in a whole load of money in the form of income taxes and other taxes, so nothing great abt people who actually grew up in India getting educated by the taxes paid by us, and now sometimes coming here on vacation and spending a thousand dollars or other foreign currency for charitable organization.

[smack]

I don't think NRIs 'pump' in money into India, they usually 'invest' with an eye towards returns on their investment....there are very few who actually do charity work (I assume that's what you meant by 'pumping' money into India)...

Personally, I feel if you are not staying in a country, then
1) you will not know what is good/bad for it and
2) you will not be affected by the outcome of an election
...as much as the people who actually stay there.

So, to grant equal voting rights to people who left India to make money and pay their taxes elsehwere is unfair.
As for giving money, most of us working in India put in a whole load of money in the form of income taxes and other taxes, so nothing great abt people who actually grew up in India getting educated by the taxes paid by us, and now sometimes coming here on vacation and spending a thousand dollars or other foreign currency for charitable organization.

Right said, betty



No NRI is 'pumping' money for charity. Agree with you 10000%

[bharatiyudu]

The NRI's should be given voting rights. The govt should sketch out a follproof process for giving voting rights.



One more thing. I think the PravasBharatiya Divas is a flop due to the following reasons



1. Less number of NRI's attended the meeting

2. They were bored by the long speeches given at the meet

3. Speech given by Mr. Narendra Modi is more of settleing scores with congress than anything else.



I personally feel that these occasion should bring NRI closer to india. The speeches delivered at these occasions should leave an everlasting impression on the NRI's so that they could investing a more amount of money, time in indian industries.



But the organisers failed to do so. any comments?????????/

[HH]

* PRI - Permanent Resident Indian ... May Get 100 ... 1000 ... NOTE(s) For VOTE ...

# NRI - Non-Resident Indian ... May Pay / Pump / "Invest" NOTE(s) ... Hence, Must Want To Vote To Save NOTE(s) ... Else, May RISK Non-Rich Indian Status!

[CtrlAltDel]

waitaminnit....why is investing money purely for profit bad? why shud they throw their hard earned money on something that wudnt promise them returns. the important thing is they are investing money and starting industries in india. why shud we bother about altruistic reasons?



abt voting rights...well...i see no harm in it. if not all PIOs, govt shud actively encourge indian citizens settled abroad to participate in the voting process thru the embassies there.

[betty]

waitaminnit....why is investing money purely for profit bad? why shud they throw their hard earned money on something that wudnt promise them returns. the important thing is they are investing money and starting industries in india. why shud we bother about altruistic reasons?.

I never said it is bad to invest for profits, it is pretty good in fact if people invest for profits. But to pretend that it is done as charity and that NRIs are 'pumping' money into India, is snooty. What about people who are staying and working here...how are these NRIs any different or better than the people here that they behave in such a high-and-mighty way?Have you read the article on TOI, in which a NRI says that it is irritating when the govt. expects them to invest in India? Also, as mentioned by Bhataiyudu, the NRIs apparently are not happy with the PBD....why do they expect people to suck upto them, if they are not potential investors?

(To bring in Modi was a major mistake anyway)



Also, if every investor should be given voting rights, then why not other foreign industrialists be given the same rights?

[bharatiyudu]

hey ctrlaltdel

Do u think the NRI phukat main invest khar rahe kya. Would invest you huge sum for a social cause. Private Enterpreneours (Sorry if misspelled) look for profits After they get good profit they put a good percent on that for social cause

[Nationalistic HP]

I guess that the discussion has missed some fine print in the proposal. The voting rights are not being considered for all sections of NRI's. To begin with, they're being proposed only for Indian passport holders working in the gulf. This will later on be extended to other Indian passport holders in other regions in a phased manner.



As long as these voting rights are being considered for only Indian passport holders who do not have a permanent residence in any other part of the world, I don't see a problem in it. Infact, I might even prefer the selections to be a little more stringent. It has to apply only to those who have stayed in India for a minimum of two months over the last 5 years (the 5 years is derived from the normal term of an elected body in India). This will ensure that the people voting have been in touch with local/regional/national issues in India in the recent past.



Again, I don't see investment in India as a reason for according voting rights. By that logic, as Betty pointed out, every investor should be accorded these rights. I feel the reason for this decision is more due to the feeling of involving as many Indians as possible into the democratic process. And when overseas postal ballots have been used successfully for military personnel posted abroad, why not extend it to other Indians?

[Nationalistic HP]

I guess that the discussion has missed some fine print in the proposal. The voting rights are not being considered for all sections of NRI's. To begin with, they're being proposed only for Indian passport holders working in the gulf. This will later on be extended to other Indian passport holders in other regions in a phased manner.



As long as these voting rights are being considered for only Indian passport holders who do not have a permanent residence in any other part of the world, I don't see a problem in it. Infact, I might even prefer the selections to be a little more stringent. It has to apply only to those who have stayed in India for a minimum of two months over the last 5 years (the 5 years is derived from the normal term of an elected body in India). This will ensure that the people voting have been in touch with local/regional/national issues in India in the recent past.



Again, I don't see investment in India as a reason for according voting rights. By that logic, as Betty pointed out, every investor should be accorded these rights. I feel the reason for this decision is more due to the feeling of involving as many Indians as possible into the democratic process. And when overseas postal ballots have been used successfully for military personnel posted abroad, why not extend it to other Indians?

[spamtaneous]

i wonder..how many nri's will vote...if given voting rights

[TUBADCOW]

Hamari soonch kitni choti hogayi.



1. Voting rights.



a. An advancing country like India, shoud be able to show the world ke uska nagrik jahan kahi bhi ho uska hain and the country cares about them.



b. We should be able to have voting rights for Indian citizens anywhere in the world.



c. Frankly speaking these should be counted as real, as these would hopefully be "bogus free".



d. Those working abroad should be able to vote, as most usually come back to settle and they deserve the right to shape their future too.



e. Think about the innumerable, students, and able men and women missing out on their one fundamental right of electing their represantative to represent the country.



f. About other industrialist, hmm well there is this fine line, aaj industry yahan hain to the industrialist will invest here, kal kahi aur to he will invest there. Bharatiya, living abroad will continue supporting his mother who is there.



2. Investment



Well thats a long arguement, but cutting long story short.



Betty kya bole aap, "so nothing great abt people who actually grew up in India getting educated by the taxes paid by us"



If this statement would have been really true, Bharat se koi bahar hi nahi jaata. Agar everybody paid their taxes and these taxes were used where needed.



Aaj bhi Tax evasion and misappropriation (in other words corruption) khatam hogaya to hum kahan ke kahan rehte ji.....

[gyanster]

I don't think NRIs 'pump' in money into India, they usually 'invest' with an eye towards returns on their investment....there are very few who actually do charity work (I assume that's what you meant by 'pumping' money into India)...

I send lots of cash to my family, they use it for themselves and spend it in India, they will probably invest a bit too. the amount itself may be too less but think of the millions who do so..

Personally, I feel if you are not staying in a country, then
1) you will not know what is good/bad for it and
2) you will not be affected by the outcome of an election
...as much as the people who actually stay there.

If we we did not care what is good or bad then we would not still hang on to India and get their password. Trust me we are affected by the outcome of the election, our future and our past depends on it. This I say in a way of spending our future in India.

So, to grant equal voting rights to people who left India to make money and pay their taxes elsehwere is unfair.
As for giving money, most of us working in India put in a whole load of money in the form of income taxes and other taxes, so nothing great abt people who actually grew up in India getting educated by the taxes paid by us, and now sometimes coming here on vacation and spending a thousand dollars or other foreign currency for charitable organization.

And we want you to keep doing that. What we do not want is the way the corruption has grown and people getting off lightly by paying off some Income tax officer. Again if we know how good countries run then we may have a fair idea which way India can go.

[RK]

Also, if every investor should be given voting rights, then why not other foreign industrialists be given the same rights?

add to it the foreign tourists, why should not they be given voting rights, even they help in incresing the foreign reserves of the country

[gyanster]

Also, if every investor should be given voting rights, then why not other foreign industrialists be given the same rights?

add to it the foreign tourists, why should not they be given voting rights, even they help in incresing the foreign reserves of the country

RK my dear friend. You have lost the plot havent you? We NRIs invest for a reason. We will come back. The reason we want to hold on to the Indian passport is we want to.

How can tourists be the same as us?

[CtrlAltDel]

Also, if every investor should be given voting rights, then why not other foreign industrialists be given the same rights?

add to it the foreign tourists, why should not they be given voting rights, even they help in incresing the foreign reserves of the country

RK my dear friend. You have lost the plot havent you? We NRIs invest for a reason. We will come back. The reason we want to hold on to the Indian passport is we want to.
How can tourists be the same as us?

i think RK was being sarcastic!

[spamtaneous]

Also, if every investor should be given voting rights, then why not other foreign industrialists be given the same rights?

add to it the foreign tourists, why should not they be given voting rights, even they help in incresing the foreign reserves of the country

RK my dear friend. You have lost the plot havent you? We NRIs invest for a reason. We will come back. The reason we want to hold on to the Indian passport is we want to.
How can tourists be the same as us?

i think RK was being sarcastic!

good discovery

[KK]

I don't think NRIs 'pump' in money into India, they usually 'invest' with an eye towards returns on their investment....

Why should pumping in the money be such a big deal? I believe NRIs did contribute (however small it is) in making MNCs open their branches in India.

Personally, I feel if you are not staying in a country, then
1) you will not know what is good/bad for it and

we are equally educated, we can get feedback from our folks and shall vote responsibly

2) you will not be affected by the outcome of an election

but my folks will be. If I did not have any folks, I would not be interested in voting in the first place.

So, to grant equal voting rights to people who left India to make money and pay their taxes elsehwere is unfair.

As for giving money, most of us working in India put in a whole load of money in the form of income taxes and other taxes, so nothing great abt people who actually grew up in India getting educated by the taxes paid by us.

Silly, my parents were paying taxes at the time I went to school.

and now sometimes coming here on vacation and spending a thousand dollars or other foreign currency for charitable organization.

I think its your ego thats talking

[KK]

I don't think NRIs 'pump' in money into India, they usually 'invest' with an eye towards returns on their investment....

Why should pumping in the money be such a big deal? I believe NRIs did contribute (however small it is) in making MNCs open their branches in India.

Personally, I feel if you are not staying in a country, then
1) you will not know what is good/bad for it and

we are equally educated, we can get feedback from our folks and shall vote responsibly

2) you will not be affected by the outcome of an election

but my folks will be. If I did not have any folks, I would not be interested in voting in the first place.

So, to grant equal voting rights to people who left India to make money and pay their taxes elsehwere is unfair.

As for giving money, most of us working in India put in a whole load of money in the form of income taxes and other taxes, so nothing great abt people who actually grew up in India getting educated by the taxes paid by us.

Silly, my parents were paying taxes at the time I went to school.

and now sometimes coming here on vacation and spending a thousand dollars or other foreign currency for charitable organization.

I think its your ego thats talking

[RK]

RK my dear friend. You have lost the plot havent you? We NRIs invest for a reason. We will come back. The reason we want to hold on to the Indian passport is we want to.How can tourists be the same as us?

I personally would like to see NRIs getting voting rights, but only for the reason that most of them are well educated and will make a conscious decision while voting. This would increase the percentage of well judged votes against votes made on the basis of same religion/caste/language, monetary benefits or worst of it all votes gained by distributing liquour (yes this happens in some villages).

But asking for voting rights because NRIs are making investments or pumping in foreing currencly, doesnt make sense. NRIs/Foreign investors are investing here because the government is opening up the economy and people find it profitable to invest here. And the deposits they make in Indian banks is because of the high interest rates prevailing here.

We NRIs invest for a reason. We will come back. The reason we want to hold on to the Indian passport is we want to.

For every 100 ppl (NRIs or RIs) who are indifferent, there are atleast a 10 who care for their society, good to know that you are one among them

[HH]

...
I personally would like to see NRIs***** getting voting rights ^^^^^...

***** "Not Recognised Indians" ... ... ^^^^^ Voting Rights Give The NRIs That Recognition, At Least In Their Homeland ...

[gyanster]

...
I personally would like to see NRIs***** getting voting rights ^^^^^...

***** "Not Recognised Indians" ... ... ^^^^^ Voting Rights Give The NRIs That Recognition, At Least In Their Homeland ...

Our adopted country gives us the Recognition too. They give us the passport for that reason. Dual passport remember. We enjoy the rights of two countries and are responsible for the duties of two as well.



Cricket is a different matter altogether.

[betty]

As long as these voting rights are being considered for only Indian passport holders who do not have a permanent residence in any other part of the world, I don't see a problem in it. ........
.............This will ensure that the people voting have been in touch with local/regional/national issues in India in the recent past.

and

I personally would like to see NRIs getting voting rights, but only for the reason that most of them are well educated and will make a conscious decision while voting.
But asking for voting rights because NRIs are making investments or pumping in foreing currencly, doesnt make sense..

Exactly, I agree with both of the opinions.
But to accord voting rights to all NRIs, who have now got foreign passports and a sort of permanent residence outside India, is unfair.

I feel the reason for this decision is more due to the feeling of involving as many Indians as possible into the democratic process.

Involvement of people is one thing, and electing leaders (corrupt or whatever) for the country is something else. In a democracy (we can come to the arguements about booth capturing, rigging, later), where decisions about a country's future is taken by voting, you cannot mess it up by including more people jsut to give them a sense of involvement, and here I mean only those people who have given up their Indian citizenship.

and now sometimes coming here on vacation and spending a thousand dollars or other foreign currency for charitable organization.

I think its your ego thats talking

Well, if thinking that I have done as much for the Indian society, if not more than the NRIS, is being egoistic, then so be it. I prefer to see it as being truthful, and not going ga-ga over NRIs, jsut because of their 'phoren' status.

Whether it was your parents who paid taxes for your education or someone else, the fact remains that as you grow up, before you start earning, you are taking money rather than giving it back. And when it is time to give it back, you migrate to a different country, take up citizenship there, and pay your taxes there.
And even then, jsut becuase you have left your folks and memories back home, you want to choose the leaders also, and want to be accepted into the democratic process, when you won't be around to face the results.

If this is what defines you (because I know it is not the same for everyone as gyanster put in a different opinion earlier), then maybe you should review the situation and decide whether it is fair.

If it deosn't define you, then my comments were not meant for you.

If this statement would have been really true, Bharat se koi bahar hi nahi jaata. Agar everybody paid their taxes and these taxes were used where needed.

Aaj bhi Tax evasion and misappropriation (in other words corruption) khatam hogaya to hum kahan ke kahan rehte ji.....

I take it that you are trying to say that you left India becuase you could not stand the corruption here. That opens a new line of thought, becuase frankly, never thought of that as a reason to migrate. It somehow seems to imply that you wanted to put in your money elsewhere as India was not utilizing it to teh fullest extent.

Well, about Indian politicians being corrupt and stealing money is true, but as I have not thought about that as a reason to migrate, I'll have to leave it open to others to comment on.

[HH]

...
Our adopted country gives us the Recognition***** too. They give us the passport for that reason. Dual passport ...

Focus Is On Voting Rights To The NRIs ... ***** ... NRIs Go Abroad For Work, Intellectual / Professional / Labour, Invariably "Second" Class Status .... They Expect The Facility Of Voting From Their Countries Of Work.