Indians up against H1B visa ban

CHENNAI: Tech professionals and students from USA and India showed an overwhelming response against the proposed ban of H1-B Visa. More than 14,000 NRIs and Indians signed the petition on the online portal Sulekha.com over the last one-week. The online petition has attracted thousands of professionals every day, who are signing online to voice their outrage at the H.R. 2688 bill proposed by Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo from Colorado. H1-B Visa is the most popular visa that allows Indian professionals and students to work in America.

Stating H1B as a source of "cheap labor", Tancredo filed the bill in the US Congress to ban the H1-B visa program. Tancredo wants the US government to stop issuing H1-B visas through this H.R. 2688 bill that was submitted on July 9.

Indians in the US feel that it is unfair to target the 300,000 Indian H1-B professionals and blame the American unemployment problem on them.

"The unprecedented and overwhelming response to this petition has taken us by surprise. Though Sulekha does not take any stance on issues such as this, we provide a platform for Global Indians" said Sulekha CEO Satya Prabhakar.

V Anand, the sponsor of the petition intends to submit the signatory list and their comments to President George W Bush, President APJ Abdul Kalam, Congressman Tom Tancredo and influential lawmakers and opinion leaders in USA and India.

(CNS)