After Contributing to Black List, Akali MP Seeks Removal of Punjabi Names

CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Member Parliament and Akali Leader Prem Chandumajra has demanded that the Central Government remove names of Punjabis living abroad from the blacklist. He also asked the Home Ministry to publicize this black list.

It is noteworthy that the procedure of black listing individuals was started in 1983 to ban the entry of those people who supposedly became a “danger” for the internal security of the country.  The Akali Government, along with Congress, is responsible for providing information to the Centre Government for formation of the black list that is currently being used.

Until June 2011 nearly 44,000 names were entered in this list but the Home Ministry specified a target to decrease this count to 10,000 by deeply investigating those on the list. Names of 142 Sikhs were removed from this list on the recommendation of the Punjab Government in May 2011. Chandumajra said that some of the people on the list left Punjab in search of a peaceful life during the Government crackdown and numerous genocides against Sikhs. He urged the Government to remove such names from the black list, because there is no criminal case filed against them.

He also demanded that the Indian Government punish those accused of Sikh Genocide in November 1984. He appealed to the Government to facilitate rehabilitation and necessary compensation to the victims of this Genocide.