Do we really want NRIs to come back?

This was a my reply to a Marathi online newspaper (http://www.esakal.com/) which asked for opinons and thoughts of Indians in US/other countries wanting to return back.

Hello,
I am from Bangalore, hence not quite eligible for the NRI topic which esakal has started. I am also very sure that esakal would not print my opinions (mostly esakal would be afraid to do so). The questions is why so much pampering of those who went out of India. Sorry, I do not have any sympathy for them. Here are some important issues on this topic (based on those my experience with those who had come back to India as my colleagues).

1. Indians always has some attraction for the white skin and probably that percolates in favor of even those who went their. Remember that it was their choice and not any compulsion from the Govt. of India.

2. “You have to be in the system for changing the system”: Those who go out do not have any noble interest than their self. Hence their sentimental thoughts are futile on ground reality. Mostly they come to India to “try out” and end up playing with the Indian system disturbing socio-economical balance. They always have safe bet of returning back.

3. Some might claim their investment power, scientific contributions, etc. Though the media has publicized Amartya Sen, Kalpana Chawla, Sunita Williams, etc., the person to honor is our prime-minister, who is from the same school as that of Amartya Sen but stayed back. Chinese and Taiwan nations could be another example who really took back the technology from US to their countries. The reserve brain drain is not becuase of love for country, but because of lack of opportunities.

4. Socio-economical balance: These retuning NRIs end up becoming a rich class in Indian society thus adding to the woes of the poor and the middle-class. Some of them come back to add discipline and values to their spoiled children – but finally these spoiled brats follow the story of one rotten mango. Given that their parents are rich these children take up all good schools. Same story repeats in the rest of the part of life in which their riches help them to take up all resources. Based on my office experience, the reason for some of the people to return was the property in California was too costly for their investments. Hence their target market is India. And then who is suffering? All residential Indians!

5. Every returning NRI adds to the inflation in India. : No explanation required.

In my opinions, these retuning Indian should be so heavily taxed that they would not dare to come back and if they still dare, they would be averaged out. It is better for them and us as well to stay wherever they are.

Finally: As Mr. P Sainath, the Magsaysay award winner journalist say, there is a lot better and responsible journalism which can be done. Esakal can concentrate on true journalism.