By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) in Belgium has welcomed the recent announcement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that overseas Indians may get voting rights by next general elections in India.
Sunil Prasad , President of GOPIO-Belgium, said he was “very glad that the Prime Minister has assured the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)of the voting rights and he complemented him for this bold decision. ”
Prasad told EuAsiaNews that of the 25 million, about 50% constitute the first generation immigrants from India and their immediate families, generally termed as non-resident Indians (NRIs).
“This is the group one should reach out for investments and for business and technology collaborations in India. This group also has taken great interest in India’s developments, ” he said.
By giving voting rights to the NRIs, Prasad who is also the Secretary General of the Brussels-based Europe India Chamber of Commerce (EICC) noted that these rights will generate more interest in India’s political and economic system.
He said that it will also help India to attract technically qualified and professionally rich Indians to take interest in India’s economic development.
There are many counties who offer such voting rights which has helped those countries in their economic development and Prasad hoped that this policy decision if implemented would prove to be an effective instrument to bring those NRIs to play an important role in India’s economic and political development.
Prasad hoped that the government’s announcement “will not remain only an announcement but a reality. “