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.
Comments
Dr Zakir naik' s naik controversy is bound to happen due to his increasing popularity around the world for spreading peace. Our hypocrite politicians and news channels and their blatant liars like Arnab goswamy do not want peace makers in the society as it wont help them to accomplish their agenda. Dr Zakir naik never breaks any law of the land and always preached the truth.. Quran is the only religious book which specifically and strongly condems killings of innocent people. Dr Naik will have the help of Allah no matter how hard the media tries to malign his name. May Allah be with you Dr Zakir bhai and all Muslims. Ameen.
Bopanna, if you are real hindu, and against these muslims, how you can work in muslim country? By working there you are helping these People. So resign immediately and come back to india. Let us see your real Hinduism. For the money you will do everything this is the fact. If you don't resign then don't blame them. Instead accept their religion and live with them.
Mr.Bopanna.... please be careful on what you comment.. know the facts and provide sources before spitting out sensitive words...
Islam exists for more than 1400 years and terrorists less than 50 yearsss, if Holy Quran teaches to kill Kuffars as you say then I am surprised that not 1% of the world's killings is done by Islam....
There are more than 2 billion muslims in the world and is 30% of the worlds population.... if we all muslims become terrorists then jerks like you would have vanished in minutes... but no, our religion doesn't teach that.... no where we are thought in Quran to kill kafirs or non muslims than helping them....
IF ISIS, daesh or any terrorists organisation u label them as muslims, then u are ignorant, illiterate and an idiot.... can u not see the recent blast in baghdad killed more than 220 muslims, turkey more than 40, Ksa recently.... how an earth a terrorist can kill muslims if his target is kuffars....are the terrorists idiots enough to make out the difference is religion....Terrorists has no religion and ISIS,Daes or any group of idiots are not a part of our holy religion which promotes peace....not killings
Non muslims are just scared of ZN coz of the conversion ratios of non muslims into Islam....I doubt any of his videos have thought or inspired any one to become a terrorists... none of them I have seen... If he is then I will never be his supporter but if he is not then please dont comment unnecessary things in social media.... without a valid source....
Surprisingly u seems to be a reisdent of KSA.... how on earth with somuch hatredness within yourself can work in a muslim country abiding all muslim laws... and enjoy the incomes of muslim ruled companies, Money changed ur mind and developed tolerance with u... lol...
Brothers... dont blindly believe media as most of the storie are fabricated.. there is story behind what media portrays... Islam is never a religion of killing but a religion which promotes peace and condemns killing....
i strongly beleave this game is being played by sri sri ravi shanker... he was bashed black and blue(exposed) by dr zakir some years back in frount of a very larg croud and whole world came to no about his truth that he is nothing but just a fake god man.... am very sure when dr zakir nayaks isseue goes to the cort he will come clean.... its just that people cant defeate his through debates so they r using all other means to defame him... sri sri if u r a man (whuch i dought) defeate him by debating him not like this.....
All critics of ZN should watch his video preach.
They should compare these with other hate mongers speech can realize who is who?
Asatyameva Jayate, yes you are a terrorist no doubt. All Muslims are terrorists since they abide by the Koran - which asks to kill all Kuffars. Koran shuld be banned and all Muslims Jailed
Every Hindu or Muslim once took a oath in school......... every Indians are my brothers and sisters..... if one of them become terrorist can we arrest the whole nation as their relatives.....ha ha.....
If a rapist or a terrorist is inspired by any god book religion or any person are you going to ban or arrest them all......joke hai yaar.............
I am inspired by dr. Zakir Naik and also some good words from some Hindu purohits. Am I going to be a terrorist???
Indresh Kumar's Sufism more active in Bangladesh....!
Does India ever taken against Indresh Kumar who accused in Samjoutha Express and Pakistan asks us to take action against him? Why much eagerness in what Bangladesh's baseless demand?
Those who can't face ZN on talk or debate, obviously they go for backdoor to defame ZN. Modi's popularity going down in day by day and also UP elections ahead, so this 'inspire' story has more depth to divert people's attention. RSS pracharak and terror accused Indresh kumar founded modern Sufism and using the same Sufism against Islam. US did the same in Iraq, Libya, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan to destroy Islam by 'Muslims'. Muslims are scapegoat of divide and rule either by western country or India.
Some so called our scholars also knowingly or unknowingly victim of Sufism to defame Islam and against ZN.
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