"Well, let us understand one thing. There are about 1.8 lakh Indian students in the United States of America. And we are now talking about these 12 or 18 students who have been subjected to this treatment. I would appeal to the people of the country and to the media in particular, that we should look at it in the larger perspective of these one lakh and odd Indian students who are pursuing their studies in various universities."
These are the words of SM Krishna India’s Minister of External Affairs, on the radio tagging of Indian students, in Pleasanton, California. The Indian Government seems to have thrown the fate of the 1500 odd Indian students, held on charges of Immigration and visa fraud to the wolves. It is a sad day for the country when its Government turns its back to the rights of its citizens.
Immigration and visa fraud is a serious offence and needs to be punished, but there has to be a clear distinction between the victim and the perpetuator of crime and America has to realize this. The Indian students had gone to the US on valid visas issued by the US consulates, which we assume are given only after a diligent verification of the students education credentials and the legal status of the University. To a large extent the US administration has been lax in identifying and acting against sham Universities. If there was any shard of suspicion the students applying for admission to the Tri Valley University should have been warned of its suspect status.
If there is to be retribution then all three parties to the alleged fraud need to punished, the management of Tri Valley University which defrauded students to the tune of lakhs of rupees and is responsible for their present predicament, the US Administration for failing to detect and act against this sham University and the students who willingly took the risk of a US visa through the dubious route promised by Tri Valley and to a lesser extent the students who fell for the University’s promise of work visa’s. The Management of Tri Valley University with its band of lawyers is walking free, the US Administration has donned the garb of the victim and absolved it self of all guilt and the least culpable of the three the helpless and alienated students have been made out to be prime suspects and are being treated as common criminals, and tagged like animals and criminals and delinquents on parole.
It is high time the Government of India especially the Minister of External Affairs took up the cudgels on behalf of our students. Young people go in for higher education overseas to enrich their knowledge and experience, and to further their career and life goals. What they do not expect is to be harassed, detained, made out to be criminals and tagged under threats of confinement. The moral and psychological trauma these young people are going through can only be imagined. They are condemned to go through life carrying the scars of this humiliation.
India is ta major contributor of revenue to the American education Sector Indian students studying in the US contribute more than 10bn USD to US revenue. The US needs the Indian students as much as our students aspire for the US dream. It is time for India to take a stand and fight for the rights of its citizen the world over. India needs to make it clear to the American administration that if it does not remove the radio tags from the students and ensure they have access to their families and legal and medical help and financial redress for the trauma and the loss of money and an academic year, then it will have no recourse except to prohibit Indian students from taking admission in the US universities. This will have the desired effect on the world stage, and will carry the message to all nations that India can and will stand up for the rights of its citizens.
For long have Indians suffered racial abuse in Australia, UK, USA, Middle East and even Sri Lanka. It is high time the Indian Government took a strong stand against the atrocities committed on its people and ensure they receive the respect and dignity that every human being has a right to.
By Neera Kishore
Courtesy Hindi Milap
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