The decision of the Indian government to ease the coronavirus-linked global travel restrictions imposed on those having OCI cards has given a big relief to many stranded overseas citizens of India across the world.
OCI card is issued to people of Indian origin globally which gives them almost all the privileges of an Indian national except for the right to vote, government service and buying agricultural land. The OCI card gives them a visa-free travel to India.
On Friday, the central government allowed certain categories of OCI card holders, who are stranded abroad, to come to the country. Earlier, according to the regulations issued by the Indian government in April, visas of foreign nationals and OCI cards were suspended as part of the new international travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic.
This privilege of visa free travel to India was causing distress among a large number of people of Indian-origin and Indian citizens in countries like the US whose children were OCI card holders as they were born in this country.
Many Indian parents, several of whom lost their jobs as a result of the economic crisis due to coronavirus pandemic, but were not allowed to take the special evacuation flights of Air India from various US cities, took to social media and urged the Indian leaders to allow them to travel to India.
“This is a big relief for the OCI card holders. It was a humanitarian crisis in the making. I am pleased that the Indian Government listened to their voices,” said social activist Prem Bhandari, chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, who has been taking up the cause of the OCI card holders.
Dr Arathi Krishna, former deputy chairperson of NRI Forum of Karnataka government, who had been demanding this relaxation, many of the thousands of stranded OCI card holders in defferent parts of the world were in pursuading her to exert pressure on the authorities concerned for this much needed relaxation.
The restrictions on traveling of OCI card holders to India was issued by govt of India on March 13 in the wake of global outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.
She said: "Many parents who are Indian nationals could not travel for emergency purpose to India after repatriation flights started due to their minor children being OCI card holders. Many children who were OCI card holders could not travel to India to perform last rites when there was death in their family due to these restrictions"
"I was constantly pressurising and bringing these issues to the attention of ministry officials in External Affairs and Home Affairs departments. I was following up with Mr Dammu Ravi who is heading the COVID task force task firce in the ministry of overseas Indian affairs who took interest in solving this problem through his consistent efforts with MHA. Iam thankful to Fireign Secretary too for his efforts and concern and to MHA for making it easier now for OCI card holders to travel in repatriation flights with emergency reasons," she said.
Over 200 Dalit families near Vedaranyam claim to have been banned from participating in the temple festival, while 35 Dalit families in Karur complai that they were barred from even entering the local Mahasakhthi Amman temple. They claim that the temple was built using their contributions.
Comments
Masha Allah
Majority of Indian population are dalit, If 70% of dalits convert to Islam in India.Islam will become the number one in India.
Any individuals while choosing religion, he will go for the best religion.
Finally he will find Islam, because Islam is the best and easy to follow religion.
Accepting any religion means, agreeing its doctrine and following its teaching.
It has come to from the heart. Nobody can force to follow any religion nor can force to change it.
It comes from his inner conscience, what he or she feels comfortable.
We may force somebody to remain in the same religion or we can force also to change into any religion, which is like asking someone to agree and believe 2+2=3. Even if a person agrees to come under pressure, it means, he is not following its teaching by will and wish. So he can definitely violate and disobey its teaching.
Now coming into this case, first of all they are not comfortable what their fellow followers did them to ban the entry into temple. And no equality in their society. This is the main reason
Now choosing new religion is purely understanding and convincing its doctrine and real teaching.
Our constitution also empowers everyone to follow freely any religion. Not only this, it also empowers to propagate to others.
It is a great constitution.
Guide them properly OR Leave them alone.
Accepting any religion means, agreeing its doctrine and following its teaching.
It has come to from the heart. Nobody can force to follow any religion nor can force to change it.
It comes from his inner conscience, what he or she feels comfortable.
We may force somebody to remain in the same religion or we can force also to change into any religion, which is like asking someone to agree and believe 2+2=3. Even if a person agrees to come under pressure, it means, he is not following its teaching by will and wish. So he can definitely violate and disobey its teaching.
Now coming into this case, first of all they are not comfortable what their fellow followers did them to ban the entry into temple. And no equality in their society. This is the main reason
Now choosing new religion is purely understanding and convincing its doctrine and real teaching.
Our constitution also empowers everyone to follow freely any religion. Not only this, it also empowers to propagate to others.
It is a great constitution.
Guide them properly OR Leave them alone.
Welcome brothers and sisters ....Proud to be MUSLIMS
Islam invites people who learn about it and understand it. not to increase numbers....no need to convert just because they are not allowed in temples, they can follow their faith even from their hearts.
@ venki
Islam does not allow forced conversion.....we invite to the path of Islam. If someone wills then only..moreover we are not minorities in the world like you.....
@yogesh..
i think the people already know better to join islam than supporting RSS Terrorrists right....
Hari, nothing is impossible in this world, for that you need good heart and mind which I cannot see it in those so called hindutva group....they are all still remaining in their old and orthodox thinking. As a matter of fact there is no such a thing called upper and lower cast in the society but it has been created by bloody brahmins for their benefits...
Venke, Sangeeth .....if you feel that one can pray at home, then why you people are fighting for Ayodhya temple.... Beef exporting hypocrites....
If they convert to Islam....there they get all types of respect, which they have not seen and imagined in their entire past life...great religion......nice choice....well come guys....
Sangeeth Manglore
Yeah... they can pray anywhere as they are considered born out of feet.. Only those born out of Gods head, needed rich temples to pray and enjoy public wealth. Opportunistic
Hindutva group will do nothing if Dalits convert to Jainism, Buddhism but, as soon as Dalits want to convert to Islam or Christianity, Saffronist will come into action with some stupid solution
The best solution is as mention by Mr Rikaz, that all the Dalits must get BRAHMIN STATUS then all the discrimination may end.
Good that hindutava group is taking initiative......they should upgrade their status from lower caste (dalit) to upper caste (Brahmin) This is only the amicable solution for this problem, otherwise this problem (ill treating dalit) will recur every now and then.
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