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Indian Embassy in
Beirut a den of corruption
WSN Network
BEIRUT: The management of Gurdwara Sri Ravidas Sabha, Daura Madina
Saniha, Lebanon, has come to the aid of a large number of Punjabi
workers in Lebanon who have complained that the Indian Embassy
officials here blatantly demand bribes for any official work. The
gurdwara management has gotten in touch with some Indian political
parties and has asked for an inquiry into the embassy staff's
conduct by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Embassy frequently denies Consular services to the Punjabi
Diaspora here as they have refused now to pay bribes.
"We have been facing harassment in getting even genuine work done at
the embassy. The Ambassador is unapproachable despite his being
aware of the goings-on," a letter written by the gurdwara management
to political parties in India has said.
One Gurbachan Singh says that while inquiring about his long-pending
passport case in September, he asked the officials about certain
tampering in the passport that had apparently happened during the
inquiry process. Instead of explaining the matter, he alleges he was
assaulted by three officials and handed over to the local police.
The emigrants allege that they are also forced to move their
applications through certain agents who charge hefty fees. Unlike
the Diaspora in the United States, Canada or United Kingdom, most
workers in Lebanon are illiterate or too poor to pursue the cases
through legal means and remain at the receiving end for years.
(For a detailed enunciation of the state of affairs of non-resident
Punjabis, please refer to WSN edition Dec 5-11, 2007, page 13, or
check out Remembering NRIs In Punjab on www.WorldSikhNews.com)
12 December, 2007
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