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`Govt. considering dual citizenship for expatriates'

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI JULY 13. The Union Home Ministry is considering the issue of granting dual citizenship to the expatriate community living in the Middle East, said P. C. Thomas, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice.

Distributing the media awards instituted by the Unity of Gulf Malayalis here today, Mr. Thomas said that the delay was due to the fact that the number of those settling in the Gulf was less compared to those who opted for European nations.

However, the issue has now been taken up following the demand made by expatriate Indians, including Malayalis in the Middle East.

Malayali organisations in the region should come forward in providing legal help to the Indian community as awareness about the law of the respective nations was very low among the expatriate community.

These organisations should also try to clear the legal hurdles in bringing bodies of those who die in accidents, Mr. Thomas said.

He presented the awards to Rafeeq Ravuthar of Kairali Television, Abhilash G. Nair of Asianet News, Raju Anikad of Surya TV and S. Sanil of Malayalam News.

P. J. Joseph, former Minister, presided. T. H. Mustafah, MLA, distributed financial aid to Narayanan Nair, father of Gopakumar from Ettumanoor, and Ramla Beevi, mother of Sadat from Thalayolaparambu. Both Gopakumar and Sadat died in accidents in the Middle East.

George Kurian Pulikkaparambil, president, and T. M. Shoukat Ali, secretary, Unity of Gulf Malayalis, Dominic Presentation, MLA, Naduvattom Satyaseelan, national committee member, Journalist Federation, and Scaria Thomas, former MP spoke.

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