Out of a population of 750,000, we number 150,000. We speak French. We are Francophile, but part of the Indian Diaspora. We have put up a photo exhibition, please see it."
The Government of India has so far refused to provide the Reunion Island Diaspora with the Persons of Indian Origin certificate, as they have no papers to prove their link to the country.
Overseas Indian Minister Vayalar Ravi has promised to take up their case with Home Minister P Chidambaram, Ramsamy said.
Addressing delegates, session chairman Syamal Gupta said: "We sent a barrister to South Africa. Twenty years later, a Mahatma returned!"
Stating that former President APJ Abdul Kalam's idea of connecting all 53 African countries to Universities in India was the best thing that had happened to Africa in recent times, he said the move had really helped disseminate knowledge there through the Internet.
Image: Jean-Regis Ramsamy, president of the Reunion section of the Organisation for Diaspora Initiatives.
Also see: 'We don't want anything'
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