GOPIO is a non-profit organization that takes up issues related to the Indian Diaspora and attempts to unify the community in its common causes. This community supported organization has one aim, to strengthens Connections between India and Indian Diaspora through Business.
"NRIs are an important factor in promoting India's interest, in shaping relations between the "home" and the "host" countries and in helping steer a dynamic shift in India's economic and political advantage in world affairs." GOPIO said, "However, 10 million NRIs who are citizens of India, have no representation in the decision-making process of the country of their citizenship."
The organization urges the Indian Government to nominate a small number of notable NRIs to be members of the Rajya Sabha in order to unite and strengthen the relationship between non-residential Indians and their home country.
27th Anniversary Celebrations and Biennial Convention. Image source: India West
This resolution was taken at the organizations' 27th-anniversary celebrations on the 24th and 25th of July at the Marriott LaGuardia Hotel in New York, USA. The convention also resolved to allow NRIs "to exercise their right of franchise as enshrined in the Constitution of India" and make the possibility of NRIs voting in the Indian general election a reality.
1. Voting rights for Indian citizens living outside India
There are about 9 million NRIs, who help contribute to the economy as well as build India's global image. They should be allowed to vote in the general election and the Election Commission of India should introduce electronic voting procedures before the next election.
– by Varsha Gupta of NewsGram. Twitter: @VarshaGupta94
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