I adore the idea of dual citizenship. I think it is also about individual freedom - to be able to choose what you think is best for yourself - for your soul.
And yes, if I have property in India I do need to pay taxes (even if I don't take dual citizenship) and not try to evade taxes.
I assume, income taxes will only generate if I earn any income in India and that should include if I rent my property out to someone and earn an income that way.
BTW, has anyone read "In defense of globalisation" by Prof. Bhagwati? According to some of the Economics professors that I know here, he is the "guru" of modern ideas on international trade. Of course we can see it by the economic growth that India is having after he became the advisor to the then Finance Minister, Dr. Monmohan Singh, on India's reform.
>From: Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>CC: Assam <assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu>
>Subject: Re: [Assam] Dual Citizenship - TOI
>Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 09:11:22 -0500
>
>Ram:
>
>
>I think immigrants like us from Assam are somewhat different from
>some other parts of India, whose attachments to their
>social/religious/familial/business/cultural
>connections are far deeper. To them it might make a lot of sense.
>The Assamese are , by and large, able to assimilate or feel at home
>with other cultures easier than some others, and thus may not see
>any benefit from the scheme, particularly after the immigrants'
>generation. For those who live and work in the USA, but remain
>feeling alien on religio/cultural issues over generations ( I mean
>even beyond the first or immigrant generation), it might mean
>something
>important.
>
>
>c-da
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 8:27 AM -0500 7/29/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>>C'da,
>>
>>> He is right.
>>> The only fair thing to do.
>>
>>I was trying to find out what benefits someone like me would
>>achieve
>>with a dual citizenship.
>>
>>Of course there are intrinsic benefits
>>
>>On the practical side, though, what are they? Don't need a visa to
>>enter the country. But one can get a 10 year multiple entry.
>>Property
>>can be bought without citizenship etc.
>>
>>So, only voting rights and the excitment of paying taxes would be
>>the
>>added attractions.
>>
>>Maybe a Birla/Tata would see larger benefits - holding large
>>properties and businesses.
>>
>>--Ram
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>On 7/29/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>> He is right.
>>>
>>> The only fair thing to do.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> At 7:24 AM -0500 7/29/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>>> >Prof. Jagadish Bhagawati thinks that dula citizenship comes
>>>with tax
>>> >obligations.
>>> >Wonder how this pans out?
>>> >_______________________
>>> >
>>> >'Dual citizenship? NRIs should pay tax too'
>>> >PERCY FERNANDEZ
>>> >
>>> >NEW DELHI: If India gives us citizenship, it should also give
>>>NRIs
>>> >voting rights. And NRIs should accept the tax obligations too,
>>>says
>>> >noted economist Jagdish Bhagwati.
>>> >
>>> >In an exclusive interview to Timesofindia.com , Prof Bhgawati,
>>>a
>>> >member of the Democratic Party and University Professor at
>>>Columbia
>>> >University, says, "Citizenship rights come along with tax
>>> >obligations."
>>> >
>>> >Prof Bhagwati is keen to take up his Indian 'nationality'. He
>>>says,
>>> >"As soon as the dual citizenship comes up, I will regain my old
>>>one
>>> >which I had to renounce in 1992. I feel loyal to both the
>>>countries.
>>> >One is the country of my origin and the other my destination.
>>>That is
>>> >true of most people today. I think people are quite happy to be
>>> >hyphenated Americans."
>>> >
>>> >Dual citizenship has become the buzzword in this era of
>>>globalization
>>> >and porous borders. Prof. Bhagwati says, "If you feel dual
>>>loyalty is
>>> >the in thing now, no body minds it but NRIs will have to accept
>>>their
>>> >citizenship rights with all other obligations. I have been
>>>arguing
>>> >that if dual citizenship rights are granted you should also get
>>>voting
>>> >rights. Also with it accept the tax obligations. NRIs at one
>>>level
>>> >think they are doing wonderful things for you guys here and
>>>they
>>> >should be given all the rights."
>>> >
>>> >There has always been a debate about the sense of commitment by
>>>the
>>> >NRIs and Prof Bhagwati seems to have put an end to that debate
>>>when he
>>> >says, "You guys have not gone abroad, struggled here tried to
>>>build
>>> >the country from here. It is much more difficult here given the
>>>flies,
>>> >mosquitoes and heat, the dust and the politicians etc. Keeping
>>>all
>>> >that in mind, I admire people who really work here instead of
>>>working
>>> >in Silicon Valley."
>>> >
>>> >He adds, "Then they want equal rights along with people who
>>>have been
>>> >struggling here and they don't want to accept any tax
>>>obligations and
>>> >so on. NRIs and diaspora are all fine. Citizenship is a matter
>>>of
>>> >right but then along with citizenship rights NRIs will have to
>>>accept
>>> >other obligations as well. I can't go and tell my Finance
>>>Minister
>>> >here, if I am living here, that you did nothing for me, you are
>>>simply
>>> >taking money from me and giving it to people in rural areas."
>> > >
>>> >"This is part of my societal obligation as a wealthier person.
>>>That
>>> >fact that I am wealthy and sitting in Silicon Valley or New
>>>York or
>>> >London, that doesn't mean I shouldn't have any obligation to my
>>> >country".
>>> >
>>> >I will be happy to pay a tax that goes with my citizenship
>>>right. If I
>>> >don't want to do that I don't have to enjoy the citizenship
>>>right
>>> >either. I can have all the other rights. They want to be
>>>citizens,
>>> >they want to part of communities in the strongly bonded
>>>citizenships
>>> >and through nationalities and yet they don't want to undertake
>>>any
>>> >obligations. So what is the big song and dance all about?"
>>> >
>>> >Always controversial, unpopular and compelling, Prof Jagdish
>>>Bhagwati
>>> >in fact came up with a socialist suggestion when he said, "Once
>>>you
>>> >are a citizen it is your obligation to file your tax return and
>>>pay
>>> >something. The NRIs want all the rights, in fact more right
>>>than the
>>> >natives and want no obligations. I really feel that that the
>>>diaspora
>>> >and the identity will be intensified and cemented when I think
>>>it has
>>> >to be not based just on differential rights for people who
>>>happen to
>>> >be abroad but some sharing of obligations. If you are citizen
>>>and
>>> >belong to the community in the deeply bonded sense, you will
>>>have to
>>> >share some obligations. When (American) people are working
>>>abroad they
>>> >still have to pay the US Income Tax on April 15th or go to
>>>jail. They
>>> >get some exemptions like double taxation and so on. . I think I
>>>am
>>> >more egalitarian. That's what the Americans are also."
>>> >
>>> >_______________________________________________
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