CHANDIGARH, June 22 — Bollywood star-turned politician Raj Babbar has suggested the setting up of a committee to review cases of “blacklisted Sikhs residing overseas”. The suggestion was made during his meeting with Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee in New Delhi on Tuesday evening.

Talking to The Tribune, cine star Raj Babbar, who represents Agra in the Lok Sabha, said Prime Minister was all attentive to the points he made during the 20-minute meeting.

“I informed the Prime Minister that I have not come to him as a nominee of any party or as MP or as a Bollywood star but as an artist and a messenger of those unfortunate people who have been unable to visit their motherland for one reason or the other.

“They are not criminals. Perhaps none is involved in a case of a murder or bomb blast or hijacking. After 22 years of my public life as an actor and artiste, it is for the first time that I felt so strongly about people who have so much attachment for their motherland and who want to come but are not allowed to do so. I have come to convey you a message from them.”

“Please constitute a committee. And for God’s sake, keep bureaucrats away from it. May I suggest that eminent personalities like Mr Kuldip Nayar and Union Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa who understand the Sikh psyche be taken in a committee which should review each case of a blacklisted overseas Sikh. Give them the reason for rejecting their cases or grant time to begin with trial visa so that they can visit their motherland and go and pay obeisance at the Golden temple complex,” said Mr Raj Babbar.

He said after a while, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, Mr Brajesh Mishra, also joined. It was in his presence, he says, that he told the Prime Minister that the Punjabi community in general and the Sikh community in particular had risen to great heights with its sheer determination and hard work. Now in Canada, they have a Sikh Premier and three ministers.

“I suggested that such eminent Sikh personalities should be invited and felicitated on a special occasion like Independence Day, Republic day, etc.,” Mr Raj Babbar said maintaining that at this stage Mr Brajesh Mishra intervened to say that they would consider the suggestion, talk to the Home Minister and get a report from RAW before proceeding further.

He maintained the Prime Minister asked him about the number of such “blacklisted Sikhs”. “I told him that the number is in hundreds and may not be even a thousand, Mr Raj Babbar said.