UK: Indians hoping for change of ‘unjust policies’ under Javid
LONDON: At least three categories of Indians adversely affected by tough UK visa conditions – doctors, students and professionals – are hoping new home secretary Sajid Javid will undo “unjust” policies that were the focus of recent protests and legal action.
On Wednesday, hundreds of Indian professionals – such as IT experts, teachers and solicitors – joined the third such public protest outside Parliament since January against what they called “inhumane” policies preventing their stay in the UK.
The group is taking legal action against the Home Office for refusing indefinite stay on the ground they rectified their income tax returns.
The rectification, the group says, is allowed by tax authorities but the law allows officials to construe it as evidence of dishonest conduct, leading to their applications for indefinite stay being refused.
Aditi Bhardwaj, one of the protest’s organisers, said several MPS supported their cause: “Tax rectification is the main issue. We have all contributed taxes, many have been here for over a decade under the Tier I visa category, but now we are told that making changes in tax returns amounts to misconduct and a security threat.”
Elsewhere, nearly 100 doctors recruited in India to fill vacancies in the National Health Service (NHS) have been denied visas to travel to the UK to take up their jobs because the monthly quota for recruiting non-eu professionals was filled for the last three months.
The denial has become a major issue, with senior members of Prime Minster Theresa May’s cabinet reportedly in favour of lifting the quota for doctors and health professionals, but the move has reportedly been shot down by Downing Street.