New York, USA: A delegations of certain US based Sikhs, propagated as ‘Sikh community leaders’ by Indian media, reportedly held a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sept. 27 and raised the issue of harassment of those who had sought asylum in USA during 1980-90s by Indian authorities.
A 29 member delegation of Sikhs from USA and Canada reportedly requested Indian PM Narendra Modi to remove the hurdles faced by them while applying for visas or renewal of passports, particularly by those who had applied for political asylum in 1980s.
“The ‘NRI Sikh community’ feels alienated as Indian Embassies refuse them visas or do not renew their passports depriving them to visit their families and take care of their investment in India because they applied for political asylums during the turbulent times in Punjab,” a memorandum submitted by the delegation to Narendra Modi says.
“We are hopeful that the Prime Minister would consider our request,” said Jasdip Jesse Singh, who led the delegation.
Reacting to the development United Khalsa Dal (UK) leader Loveshinder Singh Dallewal said that it could be a demand of those sections who consider them as NRI Sikhs, but the true sections of the Sikh diaspora don’t beg any concessions from head of Indian regime, especially at the cost of activism for the national cause of Sikh independence.