Balbir Singh Seechewal meets Indian envoy in Manila

Jalandhar, March 2

Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal held a meeting with India’s ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu S Kumaran in Manila and took up the issue of Baldev Singh, who has been languishing in jail for four years. During the 45-minute meeting with the ambassador at the Indian embassy, the issue of solving the problems of Indians, especially Punjabis living in the Philippines, was raised.

Sant Seechewal told ambassador Kumaran that Baldev Singh of Sultanpur Lodhi had been in a Philippines jail for more than four years, while the crime was committed by another man, also named Baldev Singh. Due to the confusion in name, and not conversant with the local language, he was serving a sentence in jail. He had been subjected to mental agony for a long time leaving his family members worried. Sant Seechewal also raised the issue of a youth stranded in the Philippines from Jhallai Wale village near Sultanpur Lodhi.

The ambassador assured him that he would try to get Baldev Singh released from jail on priority basis, and also solve the problem of youths who were in trouble soon.

Sant Seechewal also took up passport related problems being faced by overseas Punjabis and told the ambassador that many Indians do not approach the embassy in the Philippines out of fear. On the resolution of the issue, Sant Seechewal said Kumaran assured that he was ready to set up a camp at a local gurdwara to resolve the issue so that people of Indian nationality can speak to embassy officials without any apprehension.