Vijay Jolly means business in leading OFBJP Sajila Saseendran – Senior Reporter / 1 November 2014 Jolly talked to Khaleej Times Senior Reporter Sajila Saseendran about how the party wishes to change its image abroad and how its government is getting connected to the Indian diaspora He is the global face of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. With an obvious mandate of changing the Hindu nationalist party’s image abroad and drumming up the support of overseas Indians for Narendra Modi’s government, Vijay Jolly is heading the party’s external arm, the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP). When he took charge as the global convener of the OFBJP, the outfit had just two chapters, in the US and the UK. In just three-and a-half years, the OFBJP now boasts 41 active chapters across the globe. In his recent visit to Dubai, where he launched the UAE chapter of the OFBJP last December, Jolly talked to Khaleej Times Senior Reporter Sajila Saseendran about how the party wishes to change its image abroad and how its government is getting connected to the Indian diaspora Q: Please tell us about the role and significance of the OFBJP. The OFBJP is the connector between motherland India, the current BJP leadership and the global Indian diaspora. In the UAE, the OFBJP chapter, which we launched in December 2013, has successfully started connecting Indians in Dubai to India. The able leadership of the OFBJP here believes in strengthening the relations between the two countries and their people. The OFBJP is not here to propagate the BJP as a political outfit, not to contest elections nor to campaign for elections. The BJP wishes to connect to the Emirati brothers and sisters here and to improve the people-to-people relations between the countries. We want to reach out to all sections of the Indian community and take everyone with us under our slogan, “Sabka saath…Sabka vikas” (Together with everyone…For everyone’s development). How do you think the BJP government can take along everyone with it when it is known as a Hindu nationalist party? We always had a tarnished image that the BJP is a saffron party which is anti-Muslims. That is not true. That was a false propaganda against the BJP and its leadership by its political opponents in India. I wish to put the records straight. The BJP is one political party which is secular in its approach and no party which is communal can come to rule India with full majority. The clear mandate given to us shows that the people want to go forward, and don’t want to rake up the past. The BJP under Modi wants to give a message globally. For us, there is no untouchability. We are not guided by religious connotations. We are guided by the concept of taking India forward...a clean India, a strong India, a corruption-free India, where anyone can come and invest and take part in the development of the country. What is your vision about the Indo-UAE relations? How do you think the BJP can make any improvement in the ties between these two nations? The UAE’s present rulers’ people-friendly attitude, especially towards the Indian community in particular, is always well-respected and admired by the BJP and our millions of workers and leadership in India. The total turnover between the two countries stood at US$75billion last year. With closer connectivity, acceptability and engagement between the top leadership of the UAE and India, that figure has the potential to go three to four folds high. There is a lot of scope for us to strengthen our relations in education, infrastructure, construction industry, the IT sector, telecommunication sector etc. We can also provide military hardware and technical know-how to the UAE. The areas in which the UAE is strong, we wish to take assistance from here. We consider the UAE to be the gateway to the Arab world and we want it to be a strong, leading nation in this part of the world. We want a strong and vibrant UAE economy in which our brothers and sisters from India are contributing in a significant way. The BJP as such wants to instill confidence among the Arab brothers and sisters that India under Modi is safe and secure. And this is the prime reason the OFBJP organized the Dubai Diwali event in the Indian Dubai Consulate where the historical bond and connectivity between the citizens of both the nations could be brought together. Also, the menace of terrorism in this part of the world can only be tackled if there is closer cooperation at the security apparatus level, at the political level, at the government level and between the leadership of the two countries. With the volatile scenario in Afghanistan and with the threat of ISIS looming, there is an urgent need for closer cooperation at the government level, diplomatic level and people-to-people level. Modi made a significant change in visa policy for OICs and PIOs. Are you aware of any policy changes expected for the Gulf-based NRIs? What can they look forward to from your government? A hassle-free India is what we want to offer to the NRIs in general. When NRIS land up in India they should find a congenial environment of welcome, not being hassled right from the airport. Our ministers are already reaching out to the Indian diaspora here through various channels. I’m sure they will take note of the issues concerning the Indians here. I’m aware of a couple of issues that require meritorious scrutiny. We will do whatever we can in addressing such concerns. The value of gold that NRIs can carry home without paying tax and the recent plan to introduce service tax for remittance fee are matters that the Finance Ministry can look into. Another thing that I have come across is the humanitarian request of Indian prisoners here who have applied for a transfer to serve their remaining sentences in Indian jails. It seems there is a huge delay even though both countries had agreed upon this transfer. There is also a delay faced in the implementation of the web-based attestation of recruitment contracts. We are committed to get these issues addressed as soon as possible. Regarding the long-pending demand of voting rights for NRIs, the BJP has already submitted its suggestions to the Supreme Court which include online, postal and proxy voting, as well as the option of casting votes at the diplomatic missions. You played a major role in drumming up public support for Modi’s much-hyped US visit recently? When do you think he will visit the UAE? I’m happy that I could play the role of nut and bolt in organising PM Modi’s historic visit to the US. I undertook a 12-day visit to address the Indian diaspora in 10 major US cities before PM Modi went over there. We are very happy with the result of the visit, which glued NRIS and PIOs to the motherland in a very big way. We are looking forward to the UAE visit by the Indian PM Modi which will instill confidence among the Indian diaspora here. But I am aware that his schedule is very tight till January. So, I hope at least the Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj can visit the UAE in the immediate future.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 16:20:03 +0000
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