Centre reviewing cases of 27 Sikhs still on immigration blacklist
Thursday, June 02, 2011http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Centre-reviewing-cases-of-27-Sikhs-still-on-immigration-blacklist/articleshow/8687248.cms
The Centre is reviewing the background of 27 Sikhs (suspected former militants and their family members) living abroad who are still on the immigration 'blacklist' that bans their entry into India.
Union home minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday that the Centre had last month deleted the names of 142 Sikh NRIs from the blacklist after a detailed review while the exercise was still continuing in 27 cases.
The home ministry had conducted a detailed review of the cases of 169 Sikh NRIs included in the blacklist but could not get "full information" about the activities of 27 individuals during last 15-20 years. Leaving these names in the list pending inquiry, the ministry had decided to remove the other names from the black-list.
Asked about the basis of review, Chidambaram said: "Because we don't have full information...Severity of allegations against one person is one aspect but we need to know what he has been doing in the last 15-20 years. We do not have full information on these 27 people that is why I added these 27 people will be reviewed. As we get fuller information, we will take decision."
A statement from the home ministry said the names of 169 Sikh NRIs, which were included in the blacklist, were reviewed. It said: "After a detailed review, names of 142 Sikh NRIs were removed from the blacklist and necessary instructions were issued to the Indian missions and posts," it said.
The NRI Sikhs whose names were mentioned in the blacklist are alleged to have been routinely denied travel permission to the country on the ground that they had taken part in anti-national activities during the insurgency period in Punjab.
