Sunday, March 20 2005 17:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Brussels: Global Organisation of Persons of Indian Origin (GOPIO) has termed as "incomplete" the Indian Government's announcement to grant dual citizenship to such people, contending that it could not be implemented, as laws in several countries did not permit such a facility.

The organisation demanded that the Indian Government take up with respective countries the issue of amending laws to allow them to take benefit of the decision announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in January.

"The Government's decision to grant dual citizenship is vague. Laws in several countries, where Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) live, do not recognise such an arrangement. This makes the Indian decision futile," GOPIO (Belgium) President Sunil Prasad told a group of Indian journalists visiting Brussels as part of an Indian News in Europe (INEP) programme.

"If the Indian Government really wants the implementation of its decision, it will have to take up the matter with respective countries. It should persuade the countries to amend their laws to allow such an arrangement," said Prasad, who claims to have 15 million members in his organisation.

He said that GOPIO would soon write to the Indian Government to make a request in this regard.

GOPIO vice-president Rakesh Kapila said that the organisation was keen to take up the issue with various countries.

"But we can only make a request as we are not a competent authority," he said, adding the Indian Government, on the other hand, can persuade the respective countries through diplomatic channels to make amendments in their laws to make the dual citizenship applicable.

Prasad also sought postal voting rights for PIOs, complaining that these people were unable to exercise their franchise under the existing rules. He also alleged that the names of PIOs were not listed in the electoral rolls of their original constituencies.

"We also want to exercise our political rights but are not able to do so as for that we will have to travel to the country every time elections are held, which is not possible," the GOPIO president said.

He suggested that amendments be made in the People's Representation Act to allow PIOs to cast their ballot by post as was being done in the case of Defence personnel.

"Such a mechanism was recently witnessed in Iraq elections, wherein countrymen across the world cast their votes by post," Prasad said.

Appreciated the annual Pravasi Bharatiya event organised by the Indian government for NRIs and PIOs, he said it provides a platform to allow interaction between the Government and Indians living abroad.

The Belgium-based businessman, however, suggested that the event be made more business-like.