- 312 Indian-origin Sikhs living in foreign countries have been removed from Central Government “adverse list”. Now only two persons are in the list.
- The government action will enable them to apply for Indian visa and visit the country
- Sikhs mentioned in the list could eventually apply for registration as Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) after they have applied for and held normal visa for a period of two years.
- These blacklisted Sikhs have been mostly living in the US and Canada in North America; and the UK, France and Germany in Europe. It has included Sikh community leaders who had promoted the cause of Khalistan, former militants, those connected to the ideology without a criminal record, and those who sought political asylum contending threat to their lives from the Indian authorities.
- The list prepared by the intelligence agencies was available with all Indian missions and it was a major roadblock for persons seeking visa even for their family members who were not on the list.
- According to the Union Home Ministry, this practice has also been discontinued. Consequently, all Indian Missions/Posts abroad have been advised to grant an appropriate visa to all categories of asylees and derivative asylees (i.e. family members) whose names do not figure in the Central Adverse List, in line with the procedure followed for other categories of applicants of that nationality.
About Adverse List
- The Union Home Ministry maintains a list of individuals who supported the Khalistan movement in 1980s and 90s but left India to take asylum in foreign countries.
- This list is not restricted to Punjab or the Khalistan movement. The list also has names of those individuals who are suspected to have links with terrorist outfits or have violated visa norms in their previous visit to India.
- It also includes the names of those persons who have indulged in criminal activities or have been accused of sexual crimes against children in their respective countries.
