Sunday, April 3, 2016

Govt removes travel ban imposed on many overseas Sikhs

New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI) Apparently bowing to pressure from ally Akali Dal ahead of next years Punjab polls, the Modi government has lifted travel bans imposed on a number of overseas Sikhs, who were allegedly involved in subversive activities in 1980s and 1990s and kept in watch list.
The blacklist, which was prepared at different levels by security agencies, has been maintained by the government on mostly Indian-origin people allegedly involved in subversive or anti-India activities abroad.
Such people, whose names figure in the blacklist, are barred from visiting India.
Some names have been removed from the blacklist after detailed discussions among various stakeholders, a Home Ministry official said.
The blacklist has been pruned, reportedly following Prime Minister Narendra Modis intervention after Akali Dal supremo and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal wrote a letter urging him to remove names of 36 Sikhs settled overseas from the travel ban.
Though the exact number of people whose names were removed from the blacklist is not known, officials said it was quite a sizeble number.
The move bears significance as assembly elections in Punjab are due early next year.
with thanks : IndiaToday : LINK : for detailed news.

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