Denial of visas to blacklisted Sikh NRIs

Following an intervention by the National Human Rights Commission, the list of Sikh NRIs, who are being denied visas to visit the country, has been substantially pruned with 355 names removed from such a list.
The Commission initiated action on the basis of a letter received from the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities pointing out the denial of visas, despite humanitarian grounds, to certain Sikh NRIs, who were allegedly black-listed by the Ministry of Home Affairs for the adverse activities following 1984 Golden Temple episode. On 19 May 2003, the Commission issued notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and sought information on the total number of Sikh NRIs who were blacklisted, the date when the list was last revised and the current status of that list and the possibility of its expeditious revision.
In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs in its report dated 6 August 2003 indicated that there were 489 names in the negative list of 1998-99 of persons of Indian origin holding foreign citizenship who had come to adverse notice and were to be denied visas to visit the country. Further, it was stated that the list was reviewed from time to time and on 28th July 2003, the last deletion circular was issued. The number of such persons, on the negative list, as on 6th August 2003, was given as 134.
The Commission, in its meeting held here on 17th September, reviewed the above report. As a copy of the last deletion circular dated 28th July was not sent, the Commission directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to send it within two weeks.
The Commission had also forwarded a letter dated 24 May 2003 from Shri Simranjit Singh Mann, MP concerning the case of an England based Dr. Hajinder Singh Dilgeer [citizen of Norway]. The Commission had sought comments of the Ministry of Home Affairs on that communication. As the report dated 6th August from the Ministry of Home Affairs did not offer any comments on the case of Dr. Hajinder Singh Dilgeer and was totally silent on it, the Commission asked that Ministry to give its comments within two weeks.