hipka said:
It is highly unfair to criticize the indian govt. on this issue. Dual citizenship is a complicated issue and will go slowly. Did you see how slowly US govt. moved on the issue of PERM for labor certification. It took 5 years to get implemented.
I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the issue.But consider these facts:the law permitting dual citizenship was cleared (parliament president approval etc) in December 2003.Today is the 18th of August 2005...there is still not one person approved for dual citizenship.And it's not like the time is spent is improving or refining the legislation.Except for the list of countries and the application procedure (supposedly),everything is exactly the same as it was 2 years ago.
The US government may have taken 5 years for PERM, but they did not make statements saying that they will implement it soon.Here everyone, from the PM to the bureaucracy is making statements that they will implement it soon.In fact there was a press release from the government itself saying that they will implement it around the 15th of August.Also the whole whitewash with the ordinance (and the abuse of power that the government showed while promulgating the ordinance) is also an issue in focus.
Dual citizenship in it's current form is not at all a complicated issue.It is something like a green card minus the residency requirements.And if you go through the legislation it is pretty comprehensive on what is conferred and what is denied.
The whole purpose of dual citizenship is to attract business and investment.What smart businessman would put his time effort and money into a country where the wheels of bureaucracy turn so slowly ?
In my opinion, the whole reason for this delay is because the government does not consider this an important issue or an issue that can get them political mileage.If they were sincere, 15th August would have seen the implementation of the dual citizenship scheme.
So any criticism of the Indian governement is justified.It is the59th year of independence and we have a President that uses powerpoint in his speeches and yet we have politicans struggling with political realities more than national realities.Be it dual citizenship or anything else the government just moves too slowly for it to do any work of value.