Please see the link in renouncedindian.blogspot.com regarding mass appeal for refund of $155.
Let us all send emails to
ambassadoroffice@indiagov.org,gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net,
cg@indiacgny.org
with content as under :
While I welcome the decision of the Indian Govt for revising the surrender certificate fee to $20, I'd like to represent that I have not been treated justly. On May xx, 2010 , as I had to obtain VISA/OCI to visit India, I was forced to submit applications for the Surrender Certificate with the Consulate General of India along with the fees of $175 each for every member of my family . I had no option then but to adhere to the rules. Also penalties applied if we didnt act quick enough.
With the amended rule, I request you to refund a sum of $155.00 . There is no justification for charging differential amounts for the same category of people (all who obtained naturalization by June 1 , 2010). CG is trying to justify that $175 was the prevaling fee between May 4 and 28. The $175 fee is an aberration and not a fee that stood for several months and hence that argument is invalid.
A special camp was held by CGNY on May 29 and they collected $175 from thousands of people who stood for several hours in lines without food and water to comply with the law, only to know that the next day the fee is brought to the new $20 level.
The differential amount is a huge sum for me. Please do not punish people like me for trying to follow the law to the fullest , correctly and quickly all the time.