India on Tuesday asked the US to take steps to address the plight of hundreds of Indian students of California-based Tri-Valley University, which was shut down after a major visa scam. Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar met US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and provided details of the students to her.
"Following the telephonic conversation between the external affairs minister of India and the US secretary of state on February 13, the Indian ambassador today conveyed to the secretary of state details on the issue of the Indian students at Tri-Valley University," Indian embassy spokesman Virander Paul said in a statement. Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao along with Ms Shankar are expected to meet Ms Clinton at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the state department later on Tuesdat.
The two Indian diplomats are likely to follow up on fate of Tri-Valley University students during the meeting with Ms Clinton, which was primarily scheduled as a preparatory meeting for Clinton's visit to India in April.
According to a federal complaint filed in a California court in January, the TVU had helped foreign nationals illegally acquire immigration status. The university is said to have 1,555 students. As many as 95 per cent of these students are Indian nationals, the complaint said. Investigations by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have found that while students were admitted to various residential and on-line courses of the university and on paper lived in California, but in reality they 'illegally' worked in various parts of the country as far as Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Texas.
ICE has called it as a 'Sham University', a charge denied by the TVU.
According to available information, 18 students in California were radio-tagged by ICE as part of their investigation against Tri-Valley University. Radio-tags on two students were removed last week.
Rao would meet Clinton to primarily discuss the second India-US Strategic Dialogue scheduled in April, the latter's spokesman said yesterday. "The Secretary (of State) will meet with the Indian Foreign Secretary (Nirupama) Rao," State Department spokesman, P J Crowley told reporters. "Primarily, they will focus on preparation for the upcoming Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi, but she'll have the opportunity to meet with Under Secretary (of State for Political Affairs) Bill Burns," Crowley said.
The US secretary of state is scheduled to visit New Delhi in early April for the second India-US Strategic Dialogue.
Ms Rao arrived here from New York on Sunday evening and held meetings with officials of the Obama Administration including those at the White House and the State Department yesterday. She also met songressmen at the Capitol Hill.