ISSUE
Friday, August 22, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 73
Social acitivists, eminent citizens and others have urged the Union government to review the blacklist, which has banned several Punjabi NRIs from visiting India. They are asking the Government to take an objective view of the list considering the situation now is much different than in the 80s when several Punjabi NRI’s names figured in the blacklist, on the basis of mere suspicion and were debarred from entering the country.
“The period of the 1980s was of grave concern to every well-meaning Indian, but many NRIs were blacklisted on the basis of suspicion and their offence remains unsubstantiated,” said H.S. Jatana, a former engineer in the state government. “All of them have family members and relations in India and would like to visit them for social and other functions. Not being able to visit and join family for functions is very traumatic,” said Amrik Singh Gill, former agriculture expert to governments in many countries.
“They are denied visa to visit India because their names figure in the black list of individuals. No other reason is given for denial of visa to them. It is arbitrary, irrational and unjustifiable refusal, a violation of their human rights,” said Gill.
They said that “Most of these cases have suffered an unmerited emotional trauma all these years. Reviewing such cases will be legally, socially and politically a move in right direction.”
The centre should take a humane approach to this problem and alleviate the pain and hurt inflicted on the blacklisted individuals without proving their offence is what this group has impressed upon the government.
Social acitivists, eminent citizens and others have urged the Union government to review the blacklist, which has banned several Punjabi NRIs from visiting India. They are asking the Government to take an objective view of the list considering the situation now is much different than in the 80s...
Social acitivists, eminent citizens and others have urged the Union government to review the blacklist, which has banned several Punjabi NRIs from visiting India. They are asking the Government to take an objective view of the list considering the situation now is much different than in the 80s when several Punjabi NRI’s names figured in the blacklist, on the basis of mere suspicion and were debarred from entering the country.
“The period of the 1980s was of grave concern to every well-meaning Indian, but many NRIs were blacklisted on the basis of suspicion and their offence remains unsubstantiated,” said H.S. Jatana, a former engineer in the state government. “All of them have family members and relations in India and would like to visit them for social and other functions. Not being able to visit and join family for functions is very traumatic,” said Amrik Singh Gill, former agriculture expert to governments in many countries.
“They are denied visa to visit India because their names figure in the black list of individuals. No other reason is given for denial of visa to them. It is arbitrary, irrational and unjustifiable refusal, a violation of their human rights,” said Gill.
They said that “Most of these cases have suffered an unmerited emotional trauma all these years. Reviewing such cases will be legally, socially and politically a move in right direction.”
The centre should take a humane approach to this problem and alleviate the pain and hurt inflicted on the blacklisted individuals without proving their offence is what this group has impressed upon the government.
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