Conf. Room No.3, The India International Centre Annexe,

40 Max Muller Marg, New Delhi



Press Conference Details

Time: 11AM - 2 PM

Speaker: Dr. Anupama Singh Phone: 9810452017

E-mail: public.relations@498a.org, press@498a.org


Topic

Whenever you hear about NRI marriages, you hear a lot about abandoned brides. What doesnt get to the main stream media is how NRI grooms are duped, cheated, humiliated and harassed for various purposes. They are ruthlessly exploited for immigration purposes, be it a visa or a permanent residency of a foreign land. They are blackmailed and extorted for money. They and their families are put behind bars. They lose their jobs, their social status, their visas and in some cases even their lives.

While the phenomenon of Abandoned Brides, has received abundant media attention, the counterpart phenomenon of Abandoned Grooms has largely been ignored and unacknowledged. To expose this immigration fraud in which NRI grooms are callously used to acquire a visa to a foreign country and then abandoned, 498.org, in conjunction with Rakshak, is organizing a press conference at the India International Center Annexe on Aug 9th 2007 from 11am to 2 pm. We intend to dispel the myths regarding the issue of NRI Abandoned Brides and hype that has been generated by vested interests. NRI marriages and the reverse phenomenon on Abandoned Indian Grooms by NRI Brides will also be discussed. There will be a live question and answer teleconference call with dozens of NRIs, who will reveal the havoc and destruction caused in their lives by the Gender Biased Laws in India and the Govt’s unconcerned disposition towards their predicament.

Efforts by 498a.org and other sister organizations to inform the Govt. about this immigration and extortion racket have been met with resentment and hostility. The Govt. apathy to the plight of these innocent men is best exemplified by the Ministry specifically created for NRIs – The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA). The very Ministry that is expected to act as a liaison between NRIs and the motherland is steadfastly pursuing an anti-NRI agenda, by acting under undue pressure and influence from NCW and WCD. The persistent refusal by MOIA to even consider the issue of Abandoned and Cheated NRI Husbands comes as a shock and surprise to NRIs, many of whom have decided to distance themselves from India, after their bitter experience.

This issue is of great national interest given that the Govt. is considering further gender biased legislations, which are based on faulty assumptions and unsubstantiated statistics. We cordially invite you to join our press conference and learn the shocking truth about NRI Marriages and abandoned spouses.

If you want to present your story or views, please send a mail to: interview@498a.org

If you wish to attend the seminar, wrie to us at: press@498a.org

Press Conference Convener, Dr. Anupama Singh: 9810452017 (cell)