Secretary of the Auckland Sikh Society Ranvir Lali Singh is at a loss to understand why his wife Shubhneet Kaur, a New Zealand citizen and his two year old New Zealand born son Bachint Singh were not allowed entry into India and sent back to New Zealand last week.
The 34 year old mother her son had to undergo a harrowing experience at the New Delhi airport as they arrived on their flight from New Zealand.
Once they approached the immigration desk – they were whisked away and told that their names had been “black listed” by the Indian Government and hence they would not be allowed entry into India despite the fact that both the passengers who were travelling on NZ passports had freshly issued visas by the Indian High Commission in Wellington.
Despite various requests and pleas of the waiting relatives outside the airport, the mother and son were hastily deported back on the next available flight. All this happened within the short time of two hours and the passengers were not given any opportunity to clarify the situation.
It is pertinent to mention that this family has been regularly travelling to India for the last ten years and never had any problem entering or leaving India. Shubneet’s angry husband, Ranvir Singh Lali who is also the secretary of the NZ Sikh Society and a Justice of the Peace has vowed to follow this case and is demanding answers from the Indian High Commission in Wellington.
A spokesperson at the High Commission told Indian Weekender that the High Commission had no knowledge why the pair was stopped from entering India at the New Delhi international airport and sent back. Efforts were being made to ascertain the facts, he said. It is thought that the refusal of entry might have to do with a possible confusion in the names of the passengers with similarly named persons on India’s security watch list.
As these unfolded in New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, Daljit Singh JP and spokesman of the NZ Sikh Society was in India and has started a crusade against this treatment meted out to the family.
In a report, Daljit has stated that on behalf of the NZ Sikh Society and the Supreme Sikh Council, he has had conversations with Minister of State for External Affairs, Parneet Kaur, Balwant Singh Ramuwalia, NZ Embassy, Human Rights Commission, Navjot Sidhu MP, Sukhpal Khaira MLA, Bikramjit Majithia MLA, Sukhbir Badal Dy CM Punjab, Nirmal Singh Kahlon Speaker Punjab Assembly, Jathedar Gurbachan Singh, Tarlochan Singh and over a dozen other Panthic organisations.
Numerous organisations in NZ have also condemned this action against Shubneet and her son, who claim to be absolutely oblivious of the fact that their names appear in the so-called “black list”.
An upset Ranvir has challenged any authority to prove that his wife and son have been involved in any activity deemed to be unlawful. He is also venting his anger against the High Commission office in Wellington who issued the visas to his wife and son.
Community leaders in NZ have also condemned this action and prominent amongst them have been Rajinder Singh, Manpreet Singh, Varinder Singh Bralli, Bhai Sarwan Singh, Pargat Singh, Kartar Singh, Gurnek Singh, Paramjit Pamma, Harmesh Singh, Sahib Singh, Avtar Singh, Hardip Gill, Tarsem Singh Dhirowal, Kamaljit Benipal, Harpreet Kang, Jagjit Kang, Ram Singh of Tauranga, Kashmir Singh, Harbhajan Singh Kahlon, Jarnail Singh of Hastings and Sukhpal Singh of Wellington.
Back in New Zealand, the mother and son were detained for questioning for over four hours, Mr Ranvir Singh said. Immigration and customs officials at Auckland said the delays were due to a combination of circumstances including language issues and changing shifts.
Labour MP Chris Carter has said he would take up the issue with the High Commissioner of India at a meeting this week and was critical of the treatment that the mother and son received at Auckland airport upon their return from India.