CHANDIGARH: Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan urged the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to make an announcement regarding abolition of blacklist of Sikh NRIs having no criminal background during his forth coming visit to Canada.
In a statement, Sekhwan said that during the period of terrorism number of Punjabis took political asylum in different countries and most of them have no criminal background and they never indulged in any anti-national activity in those countries also.
Despite that the Union Government had blacklisted number of such Punjabis, but the most unfortunate aspect was that there was no list of blacklisted Punjabi was available on any official website, he added.
He further said that now most of the Punjabis who have been denied visas in recent past were in old age and desperate to visit their home land.
The NRI Affairs Minister appealed the Prime Minister to take liberal view on the issue of bringing back all those NRIs in mainstream by allowing them to visit their homeland keeping in view the important role being played by the NRI community in overall development of their native places by undertaking various development projects.
He said that these NRIs can play an important role in the fields of education and basic civic amenities in their native areas where our country was lagging way behind in comparison of developed countries.
He suggested that the Prime Minister could take up this issue with his Canadian counterpart and US President during his forthcoming visit to Canada and ask them for verification of blacklisted Punjabis.
Sekhwan informed that Shiromani Akali Dal Core Committee has also passed a resolution urging the Center to review the Black Lists of Sikhs facing various charges and to delete the names of those against whom no serious cases can be made out.
Punjab minister urges PM to announce abolition of blacklist of NRI Sikh @ www.punjabnewsline.com
In a statement, Sekhwan said that during the period of terrorism number of Punjabis took political asylum in different countries and most of them have no criminal background and they never indulged in any anti-national activity in those countries also.
Despite that the Union Government had blacklisted number of such Punjabis, but the most unfortunate aspect was that there was no list of blacklisted Punjabi was available on any official website, he added.
He further said that now most of the Punjabis who have been denied visas in recent past were in old age and desperate to visit their home land.
The NRI Affairs Minister appealed the Prime Minister to take liberal view on the issue of bringing back all those NRIs in mainstream by allowing them to visit their homeland keeping in view the important role being played by the NRI community in overall development of their native places by undertaking various development projects.
He said that these NRIs can play an important role in the fields of education and basic civic amenities in their native areas where our country was lagging way behind in comparison of developed countries.
He suggested that the Prime Minister could take up this issue with his Canadian counterpart and US President during his forthcoming visit to Canada and ask them for verification of blacklisted Punjabis.
Sekhwan informed that Shiromani Akali Dal Core Committee has also passed a resolution urging the Center to review the Black Lists of Sikhs facing various charges and to delete the names of those against whom no serious cases can be made out.
Punjab minister urges PM to announce abolition of blacklist of NRI Sikh @ www.punjabnewsline.com
