Indian-American leaders press for NRI property protections in MEA talks

Prem Bhandari, Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, led the discussions alongside representatives from the Federation of Indian Associations and BRUHUD New York Seniors. The meeting, attended by Consul General Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, marks a rare, extensive outreach tour by Ranganathan across major US hubs like Texas, San Francisco, and Seattle. Central to the dialogue was the persistent issue of illegal land grabbing in India, which leaves overseas citizens unable to defend their assets due to protracted legal proceedings. Bhandari urged the Ministry to implement a national coordination mechanism and increase the use of video conferencing to resolve property conflicts remotely.

Beyond legal disputes, the diaspora leaders pushed for systemic improvements in passport renewal and VFS consular services, specifically requesting a crackdown on unauthorized middlemen. Ankur Vaidya, a frequent attendee of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, provided recommendations to revitalize the upcoming convention by deepening the integration of community humanitarian efforts into official state policy. While the Ministry pointed to recent technological upgrades like chip-enabled passports and e-OCI services as evidence of progress, the session underscored a clear demand for more robust, 24/7 emergency support for Indians in distress abroad.