IOC criticises British govt for giving raw deal to Indian docs

LONDON: Indian Overseas Congress has criticised the British Government for the raw deal meted out to Indian doctors and highly skilled migrants by effecting changes in immigration rules affecting them.

"We disagree with the UK government on its treatment of thousands of Indian doctors brought to fill the shortage of skills in hospitals in the UK under the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme who should not be subjected to expulsion and poor treatment through retrospective legislation," Atma Singh, President of IOC, UK, said on Tuesday night.

Speaking at a function organised to celebrate 58th Republic Day of India in Knightsbridge, Atma Singh said, "We are 100 per cent with these Indian doctors in their fight for justice".

About 16,000 Indian doctors have been rendered unemployed and face expulsion after the British government effected changes in the immigration and employment rules, effectively barring government hospitals from hiring doctors from outside the EU unless they can demonstrate that a suitable local candidate is not available.

The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) sought a judicial review of the immigration laws but the High Court rejected their case on February nine.

The organisation has now gone to the Appeals Court where they have filed a petition seeking review of the High Court ruling and a stay on the implementation of the new rules until their appeal is decided.

But it could be months before the case is decided and meanwhile the petitioners remain in a limbo.