Gulf nations’ NRIs play an active role

Monday, 28/01/2013

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=60994&boxid=57294&uid=&dat=2013-01-28

Jalandhar : Undoubtedly, it was the NRIs from Gulf Nations who turned the tables upside down for three key contenders for the post of president during the NRI Sabha Elections, as their presence remained ‘pivotal’ and at the same time ‘envious’ for the candidates here on Sunday. The elections began at 9 am and concluded at 5 pm sharp.

An estimated 600 NRIs from the Gulf countries namely Dubai, Doha Qatar, Muscat, Bahrain, Jordon and even Libiya who hail from the Doaba belt, especially Jalandhar and Kapurthala turned out religiously to cast their votes.

And a majority of them were not even aware of what the NRI Sabha actually meant. Sarabjit Singh, an NRI from Bahrain said, “It was about two-months ago that I got to know about the NRI Sabha elections. I do not know anything about why the elections are being held but we have been told that it is for our welfare”.

Nachattar Singh from Dubai maintained, “We have not deposited any membership fees for the votes. We hope that the president, whom we elect would keep his promise of working for our benefit”.

This invited protest from a section of NRIs, a majority of them presidents of the NRI Sabha wings abroad, who gathered outside the polling booths and started raising their voice against the poll process. They termed the ‘voting rights’ of the NRIs from the Gulf countries ‘technically wrong’ and demanded the cancellation of the elections with immediate effect.

Showing his European Passport, Sarabjit Singh Gilzian, the president of NRI Sabha Italy said, “There was no voting right granted to the NRIs from the Gulf Nations, it was a total fraud. How 600 NRIs from the Middle East could be made members within a day? These NRIs from the UAE and other Gulf nations do not fulfill the eligibility criteria to cast their votes. Look at us, we are the owners of valid visa, hence we brought along around 50 NRIs from our respective countries to cast their votes”.

“We are the founder members of the NRI Sabha and we had been making genuine NRIs as the members. The elections are being held in a wrong manner and it should be immediately annulled”, Gilzian said.

Didar Singh Bhandal, another NRI from the UK lambasted the process of membership and said, “While we struggled hard for good 40 years abroad to rise in stature and gather an equal support for the NRIs, these Punjabis who had gone on work permit have ended up becoming the members of the sabha. How come they can cast their votes?”

SDM-I cum-Assistant returning officer Iqbal Singh Sandhu said, “The elections were being held in a fair manner as ‘passport’ was required as an identity proof coupled with the entry of the name of the voter, which has been done, as was required.”