Indian diaspora wants to hear views of PM Modi: UK MP Virendra Sharma

Thursday, 13/11/2014

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=118538&boxid=59049&uid=&dat=2014-11-13

Jalandhar : Once a staunch opponent, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ealing Southall Virendra Sharma on Wednesday said that he has sent an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the Indian Diaspora in the UK.

The British Labour Party MP said that he has sent an invitation to PM Modi, as the Indian Diaspora in UK particularly the Punjabis wanted to hear his views. “The Indian Diaspora wants PM Modi to share his views and vision with them about the UK-India ties. I have sent the invitation and now, we were waiting a reply from the Prime Minister’s office”, he said.

Interacting with the media, Virendra Sharma, who reached his hometown Jalandhar last night also stated that when PM Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he had categorically opposed an invitation to him in the UK. The opposition as Gujarat CM was owing to the 2002 Godhra Riots, then.

“Now, I have sent him an invitation, as I feel that as Prime Minister of India, we should respect this chair. The invitation is beyond any ‘political lines’. Infact, the NRIs or the Indian Diaspora have nothing to do with any political party ruling the nation. PM Modi was the face of India at global level and we want him to visit the UK, so that avenues for growth could be explored”, he added.

The Labour Party MP had his political lineage to Congress back home in Jalandhar. “I come from a Congress supported family but such lineage holds no importance, when we talk of inviting Prime Minister. The Indian Diaspora want stronger and strengthened UK-India ties with better investment environment back home”, he clarified.

Further to a query on the number of Punjabi students in facing hard times owing to fake universities in the UK, the MP said that he has raised this question in the UK Parliament. “Three-months ago, I had raised this question in the UK government seeking justice with such students. I also wrote to the UK Border Agency and the Home Department highlighting the need for justice with the students instead of taking action against them. After the fake colleges and universities were closed, the students were solely dependent on Gurdwaras in the UK for assistance”, he said.

Virendra Sharma maintained that he cited the example of 30 such cases, where the students who came on education visa were left in the lurch after the colleges were found to be fake. “I highlighted in the parliament that the students should not be punished rather they should be given an alternative to continue their studies. It is not the fault of the students, if the colleges were shut down”, he added.