Chandigarh: Punjab deputy chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) president Sukhbir Badal recently urged Indian home minister Rajnath Singh to review the (so-called) blacklist of the Sikhs residing abroad maintained by the Indian State. He urged BJP government to delete names of those who were not required for any crime in Punjab.
In a letter to the Rajnath Singh, Sukhbir Badal said that the ‘blacklist’ of Sikhs maintained by India’s home ministry has caused harassment to the Sikhs as “it was full of discrepancies and inaccuracies”.
Sukhbir Badal said the state government constantly received complaints from ‘Punjabis’ settled abroad that the blacklist caused problems for everyone.
“The Sikhs with names similar to those mentioned in the blacklist are being harassed at various airports,” Sukhbir wrote.
He said the list mentioned 63 foreign citizens for the purpose of visa restrictions. Of these, he said, the identity of 31 persons could not be ascertained in the absence of complete particulars.
“Of the remaining 32 persons, there is a need to review the list in consultation with the Punjab government, and delete names of those who are not required for any crime in Punjab.”
It is notable that the socalled ‘blacklist’ of Sikhs was created by the Indian state in it’s attempt to curb political activism of Sikh diaspora sections.