Our duty to look after IT brigade, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday pledged support to the Indian IT professionals who have been on tenterhooks since new US President Donald Trump’s executive order on H-1B visas. On her directive, state IT minister Bratya Basu is sending a letter to the Centre urging its intervention.

Voicing her anguish over reports about H1-B visa in the United States, Ms Banerjee said it was the duty of Government of India to protect the interests of Indian IT companies and IT professionals abroad. “News about H-1B visas is concerning. We must protect our IT companies and professionals and give them full support. India is proud of the world-class talent of its IT techies. It is our duty to secure their interests,” she said in a tweet.

After the reports that US President Donald Trump is set to sign a new executive order aimed at overhauling H-1B and described it as part of a larger immigration reform effort, India on Tuesday said it has conveyed its ‘interests and concerns’ to the US.

Extending support to Indian IT professional working in America, Ms Banerjee tweeted: “IT professionals are our pride and inspiration. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters. We pledge our solidarity with our IT professionals in USA”.

According to sources in the state IT department,  Mr Basu has already made a draft seeking Centre’s intervention.

“He will meet the CM shortly and the decision will be taken whether he should write directly or through chief secretary Basudeb Banerjee,” an official said.

The H1-B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US firms to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields.

If Mr Trump brings any change in the visa norms then it will have a direct bearing on Indian IT professionals. The US administration’s new draft executive order is aimed at overhauling the work-visa programme.