APRIL 26, 2018
Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said, there were “some things a hug can buy”, but for visas “you’re on your own”.
NEW DELHI – A day after the Trump administration proposed a plan to change US visa rules for H1-B visa holders, Congress President Rahul Gandhi targetted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the proposed visa rules as a “huge setback” for India. Taking a jibe at Modi, Rahul said, “New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India. There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you’re on your own. Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump.”
In the past also, Gandhi has been critical of what he termed as Prime Minister’s ‘hugplomacy’ after Pakistan released 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest.
According to a PTI report, the Trump administration’s move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration.
According to a recent study by the Migration Policy Institute, around 94 per cent of H-4 visa holders are women and the vast majority — 93 per cent — are from India while four per cent are from China.
Influential lawmakers and representative of the American IT industry, including Facebook, have opposed the Trump administration’s proposed plan to withdraw work permits to H-4 visa holders, who are spouses of H1-B visa holders.
Courtesy/Source: Indian Express
