Black Lists Issue of Non-Resident Punjabis

The so-called blacklist of non-resident Punjabis abroad is currently a burning topic. The list includes names of thousands of Sikh leaders. In the wake of the Sikh movement in Punjab, Indian intelligence agencies have been consistently hunting down community members. Sikhs have settled in about 80 countries of the world. In all of them, a network of Indian intelligence agencies is also active.

Figure in Blacklist
On the basis of reports prepared by these agencies the names of thousands of Sikhs have been put on the list. Those whose names figure in the blacklist cannot return to India. If they commit the mistake of coming to the country, they are immediately jailed. These Sikhs are not issued passports, or their passports not renewed. The governments of other countries treat them as suspects and are not provided with any documents.

No firm information is made available about Sikhs included in the blacklist. The government, as and when it deem necessary, incorporates fresh names or delete some others. The list is generally prepared on the directives of the federal Home Ministry. Reports are sought from Indian intelligence agencies in foreign countries and then public reports are submitted by the state and district concerned to the Home Ministry. Hence, the blacklist is prepared jointly by the federal government and the Punjab Government.

Disturbance and Sikh Leaders
Punjab now is far from any disturbance and Sikh leaders also are not engaged in any violent activity. It is distressing that even then they are being harassed by incorporating their names in the blacklist. What is more disturbing is the fact that even as no case of violent acts against these Sikh leaders is filed, neither in India nor abroad, their names continue to figure in the list.

If an individual has been living peacefully over the past two-and-half decades then meting out criminal treatment to them cannot be termed as a human approach. A number of Sikhs figuring in the blacklist have earned good reputation in foreign countries. Some of them are running business worth millions of rupees. Notwithstanding all this and the fact that they are regular tax payers, they are being meted out treatment at par with criminals.

Inhuman Approach
The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal are making all sorts of claims over the black lists. The actual truth on the hand is that both these parties are equally responsible for the preparation of the blacklist. If the Punjab government and union government so desire they can revoke the blacklist in toto. It is a stark reality that without the reports of the Punjab police no Sikh can be included in the blacklist. If the Punjab Government sends authentic reports to the union government then the lists can be shelved altogether at the earliest. They are unwilling to deliver justice to the Sikh minority in the matter.

The Congress is under an illusion that only a few hundred Sikhs figure in the blacklist. The fact is that 10,000-15,000 Sikhs are included in it. The community should raise its voice in the matter at all levels. It is high time to oppose the inhuman approach being adopted by the federal government as well as the Punjab Government in the matter.