THE GOPENG TIMES

The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs Friday warned against a diaspora meet being held under the aegis of an organisation called ‘Pravasi Bharati’ in Thiruvananthapuram in January and clarified that it was not affiliated to any government body.The organisation called Pravasi Bharati does not have any affiliation with the central government or the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, the office of the Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said here.
According to the advertisements by the organisation, the seventh annual celebrations of the ‘Pravasi Bharathi Day 2009′ would be held in Thiruvananthapuram Jan 9, 10 and 11.
The organisation has photographs of President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vayalar Ravi and Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan in its advertisement printed on the background of the Indian parliament and the Kerala Secretariat building to confuse people, the office said in a statement.
“The Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry is not aware of the existence of the organisation called ‘Pravasi Bharati’,” the statement said, urging people to be cautious of such advertisements.
The next edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the annual conclave of the Indian diaspora organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, is slated to be held Jan 7-9 in Chennai.