Topic started by Mani M. Manivannan (@ cpe-24-221-181-57.ca.sprintbbd.net) on Sat May 26 15:28:28 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Indian Union Home ministry says that its Foreigners (Report to Police) Order, 1971, is being enforced "in the interest of national security". This order requires individuals, families, hotels and guest houses hosting foreign citizens for more than 24 hours to inform police about the guests. The law applies to NRIs who have foreign passports. The hosts can report the presence of foreigners over the phone. Apparently it is meant to to deter the illegal entry of foreigners into the country, particularly from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, some of whom have been "indulging in subversive activities too." The Times of India points out that a lot of VVIPs have close relatives who are foreign passport holders. One wonders if the police would dare arrest the VVIPs.

http://www.timesofindia.com/250501/25home3.htm
http://www.timesofindia.com/260501/26home2.htm
http://www.timesofindia.com/260501/26home3.htm

I consider it a slap on the face of NRIs who generously bought the India bonds when the rest of the world was financially squeezing India in the aftermath of the nuclear tests. I urge the NRIs to write to their local embassy and the Indian PM protesting this stupid rule. This rule puts the burden on an average Indian citizen who has no way of knowing if an NRI is a foreign passport holder. Besides this rule will only put more power in the hands of a "big brother" government and enables the beat cop to harass people for more bribes. It is these kinds of stupid rules that make India look like a banana republic. Sigh!

Responses:

• From: MMV (@ cpe-24-221-181-57.ca.sprintbbd.net) on: Mon May 28 11:58:48
  
  Order on foreigners in India to be re-examined:
  
  http://www.timesofindia.com/280501/28home2.htm
  
  
• From: rajaG (@ kcecfp02.sprint.com) on: Tue May 29 11:24:56
  
  Excuse me if I sound naive. What is so wrong in just requiring to inform the local police station (attached to the local address) about a visiting non-Indian citizen. And so what if the VVIPs have guests/relatives who fall under this criteria. The only negative may be extra paperwork and opportunity for bribes/harassment by the police.
  
  
• From: Srini (@ 203.117.167.130) on: Wed May 30 00:24:52
  
  rajaG:
  
  >>The only negative may be extra paperwork and opportunity for bribes/harassment by the police.<<
  
  And that's precisely Manivannan's genuine concern. I have that anxiety too after all NRIs and the families that host them will be seen as cash-rich cows to milk at will and at once. It's not that Police/Intelligence don't already have enough other mechanisms to find out questionable movements of intruders in any given locality. Due to corruption and creasing of many a palm, terrorists and mafia have successfully held on to their forte for too long. Barring some specific over-crowded and hence 'tough-to-discern' areas like say Chandni Chowk (Delhi) or Mannady (Chennai) or Dharavi (Mumbai), where such measures may sound inevitable, in no other circumstance should the police be found wanting in adequacy of vigilance.
  
  
• From: BUBBLE SORT (@ ) on: Sat Mar 20 21:59:50
  
  BUBBLE SORT
  
  
• From: sgn (@ ) on: Tue Apr 20 15:11:51
  
  I think we should respect the laws of the country.We brought the fund in this country because we are also gaining out of the fund as well the traffic is both ways.We did not invest in other contries such as libya sudan Uganda or any country south of Sahara.
  And about police harrasment,If you don't have to hide anything why pay him and spoil him.
  
  
• From: kk (@ ) on: Wed May 19 07:31:28
  
  Lets keep our country safe from outside trouble makers by keeping the authorities informed about their presence in our homes and regards to the vvips connections even they should abide by the law which will make everybodys job easy and healthy and when it comes to corruption we should put that question to the higher authorities to provide our police better pay scales and lots of benifits which will help and reduce the corruption in our rich country
  
  

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