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We can’t do away with ‘black list’: PM
Posted by: News (IP Logged)
Date: March 03, 2008 05:00PM

We can’t do away with ‘black list’: PM
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 3
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has categorically told the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh that the central government cannot completely do away with the “black list” of Sikhs amid reports that radical Sikhs in Punjab were still receiving funds from foreign countries, which may lead to the revival of militancy in the state.

The Prime Minister pointed out that Punjab militants were still being “induced” to carry out extremist activities in Punjab during their stay in Pakistan.

In reply to a missive of the SGPC, the Prime Minister stated, “I would like to assure you that our government has, and is, adopting a very enlightened policy in this regard (reviewing of black list).

It should not be correct to assume, as you have said in your (SGPC chief) letter, that no review has ever been conducted of the so-called ‘black lists’. He wrote that reviews of the ‘so-called black lists’ are periodically carried out and during the past three years, at least three such reviews have taken place.”

The Prime Minister further said the central government and its agencies had credible information of efforts being made by extremist groups to revive militancy in Punjab. He claimed that “much of this is concentrated in countries abroad, like the UK, Germany, Canada and specially Pakistan, where such groups receive a great deal of encouragement from remnants of extremist groups as well as support from other hostile forces”.

Referring to the bombing of the Shingaar cinema, he told the SGPC: “You would be aware of the bomb blasts in Shingar Cinema (Ludhiana) in October last year. The investigations into the incident are a matter of concern. Fourteen persons have so far been arrested and considerable quantities of RDX explosives, assorted arms, bomb-making material and ammunition recovered from them.

Investigations have revealed that the two masterminds responsible for the incident were induced to carry out such attacks during a visit they made to Pakistan. Investigations also suggest that the funding for this came from extremist elements in the US.”

He, however, expressed satisfaction over the return of peace in Punjab. “Undoubtedly, there is little support for militancy in Punjab today. Yet, as pointed out above, extremist groups elsewhere have not given up their attempts to revive the movement. A great deal of caution is hence called for,” reads the PM’s missive to the SGPC chief.

He, however, promised the SGPC chief that he was instructing the central agencies to ensure that during their periodic reviews, no one who does not deserve to be on these “black lists” finds a mention in them.

He hoped that the SGPC would be satisfied with the steps being taken by the central government and intelligence agencies to stop harassment of innocent NRIs travelling to India in the coming days.

It may be recalled that the SGPC president had written a letter to the Prime Minister on December 26 last year, accusing the central government of harassing “innocent NRI Sikhs” on the pretext of black list.

 



Re: We can’t do away with ‘black list’: PM
Posted by: sidhu.hcl (IP Logged)
Date: March 07, 2008 12:12PM

I wd urge all my sikh brothers to stop supporting these "Hardliners". after a decade only punjab has seen peace and harmony.

Moreover The population of turbaned sikhs in punjab has risen also people are forgetting their wounds tht thy gained during militancy.

Population is the only way by which we can get our goal in a democratic country like ours.
Sri Guru GovinD Singh Ji was having 4 Sahibzadas..

 





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