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.

US-Like Strict Security Measures To Prevent Future Terror Bids

The Pune terrorist attack is another warning to us. This attack raises a question mark on our political leaders' will to fight terrorism and wipe it out. Despite getting all intelligence inputs, why do we not succeed to prevent such terror attacks? Why do we become complacent, considering it our success that there has not been another terrorist attack in one year?
Despite suffering from the sting of terrorism for so many years, why have we not been able to formulate an effective strategy to safeguard the country from such attacks? Why do we not do all that we must do as a nation, be it the government that has to do it, or society, or administration?

Politics of Vote Bank
As long as we do not look for answers to these questions, we would continue to lose innocent lives and keep blaming Lashkar-e-Taiba, Indian mujahidin, and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). But will such attacks stop by merely expressing concern over terrorism, blaming Pakistan, and appointing inquiry committees?
If we have to break the back of terrorism, sidelining politics of vote-bank, all political parties would not only have to formulate effective strategy sitting at the same table, but would also have to implement it. If we have to seek help from the United States or Israel for this purpose, we should not hesitate to do so.

Cooperation Between Federal and State Governments
In all conferences and seminars, there is talk of increasing coordination and cooperation between the federal and state governments to deal with terrorism, but the coordination appears ineffective as before. Allegations and counter-allegations after the attack are enough to expose such relations.
The Home Ministry says that the advisory was sent two months ago about a likely terror attack in Pune. The home minister also does not consider the attack as carelessness of intelligence agencies. Who should be held responsible if there is an attack on the same spot even after sending the advisory? The Home Ministry completed its formality by sending the advisory, but was it the state government that could not take concrete action on that advisory?

Flaws in System
When there was no attack for a long time after the November 2008 Mumbai terror attack, it was taken for granted that terrorist organizations are so busy in Afghanistan-Pakistan that they do not have time to look at India. The Pune attack has falsified this belief. If our preparations are like the present, this is not the last one. On the terrorism front, we would have to be as tough as the United States. As long as we do not remove flaws like relaxation for VIPs in our security measures, the result is going to be the same.