Elisabeth,
NRI is a Non Resident Indian, that is a person holding an Indian Passport
and Citizenship, residing outside India. And in case of NRIs in gulf and
other like countries these NRIs are not even PR that is they are not
permanent Residents in the countries where they are working as expatriates.
Hence they are for all purposes Indians working abroad and come 'HOME to
India. As such they should have the 'Right of Vote' in their respective
constituencies back home. Not knowing about certain things like u say is no
criteria for 'No Vote'. It is the persons inherent right to vote,
irrespective of other perceived qualities.
This reminds me of what Nehru said in response to a query from a Time
Correspondent, at the time of Goa's Liberation/Invasion/ Annexation! When
the said journo said to Nehru: "most Goans he met in Bombay were not in
favour of Nehru's impending action". To which Nehru replied:"Most Goans in
Bombay are cooks and butlers". Do these poeple not have the right to decide
or vote (n this case)
just because they are cooks and butlers?? I hope U see the analogy.
A PIO on the other hand is a person of Indian Origin, full or half; and this
person may or may not be an Indian Citizen; the person may be a foreign (non
Indian) citizen either acquired thru immigration or by birth. These persons
who are foreign citizens can never be allowed to vote etc in India. That is
the natural law!
For all of the above, I feel that all NRI's who are not PR of foreign
countries shoiuld be allowed to vote, in their respective constituencies in
India.
I will bring to notice the news of the Italian Govt. from this year allowing
Italian NRI's in Australia, not only to vote in Italian Elections but also
to have their own Reps in both houses of the Italian Parliament. These were
duly elected here in Australia by these NRI's and are now sitting in the
Italian Parliament on behalf of the NRI's. I was pleasently surprised; but
again that is true democracy in action.
Nasci Caldeira
Melbourne.
Elisabeth Carvalho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Subject: [Goanet] Voting rights for NRI Goans
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 09:49:58 -0700 (PDT)
I have no qualms about NRIs being given voting rights
but to what end? NRIs, PIOs, expats are an apathetic
lot. I should know. Most of my family is now in
diaspora and much of it second-generation, whose only
link to Goa, is the occasional trip back home to see
the ancestral house, check out if Auty Teodoline
really does sport a mustache and how Uncle Joe talks
about Lisboa with such reverence. Throw in a cruise
down the Mondovi river, a lunch out at Martin's corner
and a drive through hawker-invested Calangute for
souvenirs and, they are ready for the trip back home
having "discovered their roots".
I think Goans living abroad have very little knowledge
and much less interest in the actual problems facing
the people and the polity. They are immersed in their
own daily battles, as they should be. I don't know if
they can truly represent the hopes and aspirations of
Goans living in Goa. I don't know if we should
translate western sensibilities or solutions to
situations that are indigenously Goan. This is my
concern. That of apathy. That we will be giving power
to an apathetic lot and power vested in such a section
of society can be gravely misused.
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