NCM has recommended review cases against NRI Sikhs during Punjab turmoil

NEW DELHI, Oct. 11, 2008
Sant Mahajan

For bringing Non-resident Indian (NRI) Sikhs back into the mainstream of the country, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has asked for review of the cases.

The cases lodged against the community members for supporting extremist groups in the eighties during the terrorism period in Punjab.

In a report sent to the Union government, the NCM has recommended “their cases should be reviewed favourably on individual basis if their antecedents are good and they are not involved in any anti-national activities.”

It noted that some of the Sikh migrants joined the terrorist groups and terrorist camps after Operation Blue Star and anti-Sikh riots in 1984. They were exploited and used against the Indian government, it said.

As the government of India has put names of such people in the blacklist, they are unable to get Indian visa and passports. “Now they have realised their faults and want to come back to India, in the main stream,” the NCW said. The NCM prepared the report after holding meetings with the Sikh community members at different places in UK. It said many of the blacklisted NRI Sikhs are willing to come to India but they are not doing so fearing arrest.

The NCM has also recommended that Indian Embassies in UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France and other European countries abroad should have a closer relationship with Sikhs, where their population is in large numbers.

“Our High Commissi-oners should also propagate the true picture of the government of India and its secular credentials. There are many misgivings among other minorities there regarding the Indian government’s minority welfare measures,” it said.

The Commission recommended to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs that the problem of Afghan National of Indian origin should be dealt in a most sympathetic manner and if necessary in relaxation of the provision of the foreigners act. Govt. of India may give amnesty to all of them in so far as Passports and other documents are concerned.

The Afghan Hindu, Sikhs welfare society, C-128, Greater Kailash-I, New Delhi may be considered as representative organization of Afghan refugees of Indian Origin and they may be authorized to authenticate the names of all the refugees.

• The Commission recommended to the Govt. of Himachal Pradesh to make:-

  (i) adequate arrangement for facilitating teaching of Punjabi language at Paonta Sahib.

  (ii) to take proper measures to safeguard the Sardar Sobha Singh Art Gallery at Andretta near Palan Pur and make it a Tourist spot.

The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) is a body constituted by the Government of India to monitor and evaluate the progress of people classified as minorities by the Indian government. Essentially the minorities in India consist of followers of all religions other than Hinduism and weaker sections in the Hindu community. The Commission is also referred to as the Minority Commission. It was formed as a result of an act of the Indian Parliament in 1993