If Rohingyas are illegal migrants so are Desi people settling abroad

If Rohingyas are illegal migrants so are Desi people settling abroad

India had taken stand on Rohingyas to deport them from India and send them back to their native place Rakhine, Myanmar as they were illegal migrants.

But what about its own citizens who illegally emigrated to various countries across the globe.

It was ridiculous to hear Union home minister Rajnath Singh taking a technical stand that Rohingyas did not follow the proper protocol to enter India as refugees. Since India has not signed any specific UN convention, it will not break any international law by sending them back.

Thousands of Indians emigrated to countries UK and USA besides many European nations. In USA about 5 lakhs Indians are living as illegal migrants. UK identified about 1000 illegal Indian migrants.

Considering this mass exodus, The Emigration Act, 1983 was made to prevent this but the law has many flaws.

This law (The Emigration Act, 1983) is the only central statute to manage migration from the country. The law mentions registration of agents who send people abroad but does not mention consultants. Hence this loophole is misused as people going abroad register themselves in any university or college and then start working without valid documents.

One attempt was done by Punjab in plugging the gap by introducing Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act, 2012. The act mentions that anyone in the capacity of a consultant or an agent needs to be registered with the state government, file IT returns, must have no criminal record and must have a small office.

A good indicator is the importance of issuing travel advisories by external affairs ministry. But they are so sketchy that most people do not notice this and travel abroad undeterred.

The time has come that Indians government should put its own house in order and make a law to reduce number of people going abroad illegally.

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