NRIs demand ‘reserve seat’ in assembly polls 2016
Wednesday, 04/05/2016
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Punjab govt will conduct NRI Sabha Punjab elections before October, says NRI Affairs Minister
Jalandhar : In a first, Punjabi NRIs, making their presence felt across the world, have decided to demand their share of ‘reserve seats’ for NRIs in the upcoming Punjab Assembly Elections 2016. The NRIs settled in UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Europe have set the ball rolling with their demand that a Punjabi NRI holding Indian Passport should be considered for contesting the Vidhan Sabha polls. The NRIs have decided to support only that political party- whether SAD-BJP, Congress or AAP in Punjab, who will announce reserve seats for them. Currently, over 60 lakh NRIs are settled in the foreign shores with maximum number from NRI belt of Doaba region in Punjab.
It was learnt that both Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Congress which was still holding meetings with NRIs abroad was working on this agenda. While Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh is also learnt to have conducted meetings with NRIs seeking their support with this promise, NRIs were now waiting for the decision of AAP Punjab leaders. Talking to Daily Post from Birmingham (UK) Lakha Singh, the president of NRI Cell, UK said, “After remaining dependent on consecutive state governments all these years, NRIs have felt the need to demand reserve seats for them in the assembly elections. Though NRIs have made huge investments in Punjab but we were not being heard rather false cases were slapped on us on flimsy grounds”, he said.
NRI Affairs Minister Punjab Tota Singh said, “The Punjab government was all set to conduct the NRI Sabha elections before the month of October. Infact, we have held meetings with the NRIs in this regard and the government was keen for conducting the elections within two months from now. But, as the NRIs visit Punjab during the month of October, the elections would be held at that time.” However, sources maintained that earlier SAD leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also met NRIs, who demanded atleast ‘five seats reserved’ out of the total 117 seats in Punjab. “Till date, NRI Sabha remained a teethless body. Though NRI Sabha, NRI Commission was formed and NRI sammelans were held but the motive of supporting the Punjabi diaspora could never be achieved”, the NRIs maintained. Interestingly, all SAD-BJP, Congress, AAP and the BSP have constituted NRI Wings within the parties, which the NRIs abroad termed as a platform to seek support from NRIs. Among others, who have been mobilising NRIs on reserve seat in assembly polls include Sukhjit Singh Kang from Canada, Balwinder Singh Bajwa, president of NRI Cell, New York in USA.
