New Delhi, October 4
The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) and Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa have sought the intervention of Union External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha in providing necessary assistance for about 20,000-25,000 Sikh youths who have migrated illegally to various countries in Europe, the USA and Canada.
Though the exact number of such illegal migrants floating around in Europe, the USA and Canada is not known, Mr Yashwant Sinha has directed the Indian missions abroad to expeditiously assess the situation in terms of numbers.
The problem is becoming acute as these young people from Punjab are finding themselves in dire straits primarily on the account of not being in possession of valid documentation. Coupled with this major hurdle, they find themselves baulked by a wall put up by the immigration and naturalisation authorities of these countries.
NCM Vice-Chairman Tarlochan Singh said the External Affairs Minister assured him and Mr Dhindsa, when they called on him on September 30, that the Union Government would deal with the matter most sympathetically. They also urged the External Affairs Minister to frame a policy to deal with the recurring problem of illegal migration.
Mr Sinha said he would try to secure information about such illegal migrants in Europe, the USA and Canada and facilitate them in completing the documentation. The suggestion made to Mr Sinha was that in cases where the necessary documentation was lacking the assistance of the Punjab Government should be sought so that the requisite information could be gleaned from their villages.
Mr Tarlochan Singh and Mr Dhindsa impressed upon the External Affairs Minister that countries like Italy are granting citizenship to illegal migrants and the Indian mission in Rome should render the necessary assistance to those caught in a hapless and delicate situation. The chief of SAD (Amritsar), Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, and Lok Bhalai party’s Balwant Singh Ramoowalia have also drawn the MEA’s urgent attention to the problem.
In a fresh communication to Mr Sinha yesterday, Mr Tarlochan Singh emphasised that a large number of Sikhs were now roaming around Europe after illegal migration. Emphasising that because of unemployment conditions in Punjab these young educated boys were lured by unscrupulous travel agents who charged heavily with the promise of jobs in many countries. He regretted that a number of Punjabi youth had died in foreign lands and quite a good number of them were in jails.
He thanked Mr Sinha for giving the necessary directions to the Indian missions abroad in this regard. He felt in securing the necessary identification the Union Government could approach the Punjab
Government for sending the requisite documents.
The NCM Vice-Chairman drew attention to similar problems of illegal Sikh migrants in the USA and Canada. A large number of Punjabi youth have registered themselves as refugees after Operation Bluestar. “They are forced by disgruntled leaders to participate in anti-India demonstrations. We very much appreciate that you have all the sympathies for these unfortunate Punjabi youth,” Mr Tarlochan Singh added in his letter to Mr Sinha.
