Telangana Minister for IT & Industries, Duddilla Sridhar Babu wondered why is the Narendra Modi-led Union Government is maintaining silence on President Donald Trump’s decision to impose an annual fee of $ 1 lakh on H-1B VIsas? What is the hidden understanding behind this silence?, he asked.
The minister said that the thought process of U.S. President Donald Trump seems to be understood only by his close friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but not by anyone else. He recalled that India is the largest recipient of H-1B visas globally. Naturally, he said that the impact of this decision will fall disproportionately on our country.
Yet, he deplored that the Centre has failed to engage in pre-emptive diplomatic negotiations with the U.S. to prevent such a blow. He lamented that the Centre has even failed to secure exemptions for existing H-1B visa holders already residing in the U.S.
He recalled that President Trump has already dealt India a heavy blow by imposing 50 percent tariffs on certain imports. Now, he has further escalated matters by increasing H-1B visa fees. Why then is Prime Minister Modi still refusing to respond?, Sridhar Babu asked.
The Minister demanded that both the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister must directly take up this matter with the U.S. administration. He appeled to them that they must secure temporary exemptions for current H-1B holders, ensure special provisions for Indian IT professionals, and take a positive decision for the families and institutions dependent on remittances.
Sridhar Babu expressed concern that Telangana is one of the states that will be worst affected by this decision. On behalf of the state, he said they will be writing to the Centre, urging immediate intervention. Unfortunately, he deplored that the Union Government is too busy undermining the rights of states to spare any concern for the plight of Indians abroad.
It is deeply regrettable that instead of resolving the crisis, he expressed concern that Prime Minister Modi has tried to portray it as somehow being in India’s interest. “As per the Constitution, India is a Union of States. But for the Centre, only those states governed by the BJP seem to matter. Telangana is consistently denied recognition and respect as a state within the federal spirit”, he added.