'Visa guidance to IT professionals on cards'

In the wake of detention of Senthil Kumar, London-based CEO of i-flex solutions' subsidiary, IT Minister Arun Shourie on Friday said his ministry would work closely with Nasscom for providing necessary guidance to IT professionals going abroad on visa-related matters.

"On the general question, as far as we have been able to ascertain it is the problem on proper type of visa. Irrespective of specifics of this case, the IT professionals have to be careful that he takes the right visa," Shourie told reporters in New Delhi.

For this purpose, the IT Ministry would work closely with software association Nasscom for making a sort of escort facility available, which would give guidance on issues like proper visa.

"If Nasscom needs any help in establishing stronger relations with embassies we are always here," Shourie said adding "long term solution is that whoever goes abroad should be given full assistance on matters like whether or not it is the right visa, whether all forms are completed and which visa permit allows what kind of work." 

Asked if officials in the IT ministry would be deputed for providing the necessary assistance on visa matters,
Shourie said, "it is likely to be done by Nasscom, as it is the industry association."

Terming the detention as a "stray incidence" Shourie asked the industry, not to read a pattern in it.

"We should not read a pattern into everything. After all the Polaris in Indonesia was different from the incident in
Malaysia. This incident in Netherlands in different from the other two," Shourie said, adding that it was not as if a war
had been waged against IT professionals.

"As we become increasingly important as providers of IT services, professionals, other societies would start feeling
jealous. We have seen in British Telecom there have been demonstrations against outsourcing, and also the private
members Bill has been introduced in New Jearsy and few other places," he pointed out.

In such a situation, the best advocates of Indian IT professionals were the Amercian, British and European
companies using services in India, Shourie said.

"When we provide competitive services, the clients will be the best ambassadors. Also, in India we should see that
globalisation helps us", Shourie said.

The IT minister said the government was in constant touch with i-flex officials on the issue of detention of the
company's London-based CEO.

While asking the IT professionals to be aggressive, Shourie said care should also be taken to be legally correct.