A promise to heirs of indentured labourers

PIOs who migrated as indentured labourers long ago are unable to furnish documents and family tree to secure the card

Bringing joy to Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) living in countries where Indians had worked as indentured labourers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said new procedures and documents would be put in place to help them get the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.

Thousands of PIOs whose families migrated to several countries as indentured labourers four to five generations ago, currently have difficulties in obtaining the OCI card as they are unable to furnish proper documents and the family tree to secure the card.

Indentured workers from India were taken to Suriname, Reunion Island, South Africa, Guyana, Mauritis, Fiji and Trinidad and Tobago to work in sugar cane plantations.

Special bond

Girmit is a corrupt form of the English word agreement, and Mahatma Gandhi had called himself the first Girmit .

“We have a special bond with

Girmitya countries and are aware of the difficulties that PIOs are facing in getting the OCI card. Starting with Mauritius, new procedures and documents will be put in place so that PIOs from these countries get their cards,” Mr. Modi said.

Other issues of PIOs in Reunion Island, Fiji, Guyana and Suriname would also be addressed, he added.

He said the date for converting PIO cards to OCI cards without paying penalty had been extended to June 30.

‘A good step’

Welcoming the announcement, Jean Regis Ramsamy Nadarassin, who is part of a delegation from Reunion Island, said it was a indeed a good step. The Reunion Island is about 200 km southwest of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. “The Indian government should understand the situation and should come out with specific policy to address the issue,” he said, pointing out at the problem of PIOs in Reunion Island, where it has become next to impossible to get the OIC card due to lack of proper documentation.

“Many on our island are seventh generation PIOs for whom it is difficult to get details beyond four generations. The only way is through an Act of Parliament that would provide OCI card,” he added.