Acting on the repeated pleas of the Punjab government, New Delhi has removed 142 names out of 169 on the ‘black-list’ of Sikhs, including many in Canada banned from entering India, officials said.
“Only 27 names now remain on the black-list. The Punjab government wants no discrepancy on names removed through mutual consultations between the state and the central officials,” a state government spokesman said.
The black-list issue had been hanging fire for a number of years with the Punjab State government and the ruling Akali Dal urging the central government to remove names from the list of Sikh NRIs linked to or sympathetic to terrorists and other separatists seeking a separate Sikh homeland, Khalistan  (land of the pure).
Reacting to the central government’s acceptance of the demand, Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal demanded that all the details, including the names of the remaining people, should be put on the official website of central home ministry to eliminate any further exploitation of Sikhs in the matter.
“There should be an automatic mechanism for periodic review of these lists. While those facing criminal charges should be brought before the law, there should be no harassment of the innocents,” Badal said.
The persons whose names have been deleted are believed to be currently based in countries like Pakistan, the US, Canada, Norway, France and Germany. The government’s step will enable them to move freely around the world and even return home.The names have been deleted in two phases after a review of 169 cases in consultation with the Punjab Government and security agencies. While 25 names were deleted in August last year, 117 names were deleted last month, according to the Home Ministry.
Among those removed from the blacklist by the Union Home Ministry are Lakhbir Singh Rode, nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and chief of International International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF).
The list also includes names like Ranjit Singh alias Neeta, a native of Jammu and Kashmir who heads Khalistan Zindabad Force, Wadhawa Singh, chief of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Paramjit Singh Panjwar, chief of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF).
Some of those in Canada that were on the original blacklist include;
Ajaib Singh Bagri, alias Ajit, alias A.S. Khalsa; BKI (Parmar) activist residing in Canada.
Balkar Singh Canadian, WSO activist from Amritsar, now in Canada.
Avtar Singh “Tari“, KLF activist of Ramghar Bhullar, Ludhiana; now in Canada.
Satinderpal Singh Gill, “Jathedar“, ISYF activist of Badhni Kalan, Moga; now in Canada.
Amarjit Singh Chahal, “Lali“, alias Kawarjit, BKI activist of Jauli, Ropar; now in Canada.
Santokh Singh “Khela“, BKI activist of Sahungra, Hoshiarpur; now in Canada.
Sodhi Singh Sodhi of ISYF, Kishanpur, Jalandhar; now in Canada.
Parvkar Singh Dulai, alias Pary, s/o Mastan Singh Dulai of Canada.
Harchand Singh Gill, Surrey, BC, Canada.
Kewal Singh Nagra and his wife Lakhbir Kaur, Surrey, Canada
Satwant Singh Sandhu, BC, Canada
Bhupinder Singh Johl, s/o Banta Singh Johl, Canada.
Aniljit Singh Uppal, Surrey, Canada
Jarnail Singh Heer, BC, Canada
Raminder Singh Bhandher, Surrey., Canada
Harjit Singh Atwal, s/o Sohan Singh Atwal, Canada.
Jethinder Singh Narwal, s/o Avtar Singh Narwal, Canada
Jaswinder Parmar, s/o Talwinder Singh Parmar, Canada.
Narinder Parmar, s/o Talwinder Singh Parmar, Canada.
Rajinder Kaur Parmar, d/o Talwinder Singh Parmar, Canada.
Surinder Kaur Parmar, d/o Talwinder Singh Parmar, Canada.
Sukhpreet Singh Heir, Surrey.
Paramjit Singh Johal, Surrey.
Harkirat Singh Kular, Surrey.
Mokham Singh Bagri, s/o Ajaib Singh Bagri, Canada.
Jatinder Singh Gill, Surrey.
Daljit Singh Sekhon, s/o Gurdip Singh, Toronto.
Gian Singh Sandhu, BC.
Jaswinder Singh Garcha, s/o Milkha Singh, Vancouver, Canada.
Kuldip Singh Sodhi, Toronto.
Surmukh Singh Lakhania, Ontario, Canada.
Bikar Singh Nijjar, Brampton, Ontario.
Mohan Singh Judge, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Ranjit Singh Sandhu, Edmonton, Alberta.
Surdev Singh, British Columbia.
Piara Singh Pannesar, BC.
Satnam Singh Johal, s/o Surmej Singh Johl, Kamloops, Canada.
Satnam Singh Khun Khun, Kamloops.
Balkaranjit Singh Gill, alias Balkaran, Brampton, Ontario.