‘Take lenient view on visa demands’

JALANDHAR: The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Wednesday claimed that overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi has assured them that he would consider its demand for a lenient view on issuance of visas and Indian passports to political asylum-seekers of Indian origin.

During a meeting with the NAPA delegation led by its president Satnam Chahal in Delhi, the minister was informed about cases of thousands of Punjabis who entered foreign countries for economic reasons during the days of militancy in Punjab but sought “political” asylum to settle there for economic reasons.

“Actually, they are economic migrants. Some of them were granted citizenship of the countries of residence but they are finding

MINISTER ASSURES DELEGATION ON ISSUANCE OF VISAS, INDIAN PASSPORTS TO POLITICAL ASYLUM-SEEKERS OF INDIAN ORIGIN

it hard to get visas from Indian missions to visit their motherland. Those, whose cases are still pending for regularising their status in foreign countries, are unable to get their Indian passports renewed,” Chahal reportedly told the minister. “So they are unable to visit India to manage their properties, attend social and religious functions and meet relatives and friends.”

Chahal said that taking advantage of the long absence of such people, the “land mafia” in Punjab had forcibly taken possession of their properties and in many cases been successful in selling these properties to influential developers.

“It is not possible for the owners of such properties to defend their cases in the court of law, as they are unable to travel to India because of visa refusal,” he said.

The minister was also informed about alleged harassment meted out to a large section of the expatriate community during their Punjab visits by falsely implicating them in criminal cases.

The delegation also demanded that the government should make arrangements at Indian missions or embassies abroad for facilitating overseas voters to cast their votes.