Captain Amarinder Singh Urges Rajnath To Get Blacklisted Sikh Youths Into Mainstream

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and raised the issue of getting back blacklisted Sikh youths into the mainstream, while suggesting doing away with the system of making such lists on religious lines.

Captain Singh while accepting the current system was damaging to the psyche of Sikh youth, agreed to consider the Chief Minister's request to allow at least the descendants of the blacklisted Sikhs to visit India.

Disclosing this here, a spokesperson of the Punjab government said many of such Sikh youth have been blacklisted for several years and are unable to return to India.

"Had a fruitful meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, discussed issues of Sikh blacklists and state security," Captain Amarinder said after the meeting.

The Punjab Chief Minister also raised the issue of having a second-line security along the India-Pakistan border, besides speeding up of investigation in the cases of sacrilege in the state that happened during the previous government.

"Have requested Rajnath Singh ji for more BSF forces, second line of defence to strengthen Indo-Pak border, got a positive response," he said.

He had yesterday raised the issue of blacklisted Sikh youth with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during a courtesy call.

He also sought five additional BSF companies to strengthen the India-Pakistan border and also stressed the need to set up a second line of defence.

Raising the second line of defence would require immediate funding of about Rs. 206 crore in infrastructure, capacity building and manpower, said Captain Amarinder, seeking the Home Minister's support in financing the same in national interest.

The Chief Minister also urged the Home Ministry to provide necessary funds to meet the recurring annual costs of the 2 IRB Batallions for which it had recently sanctioned Rs. 51.19 crore each.

Alleging a serious conspiracy to disrupt the communal harmony in the state, Captain Amarinder also urged the Home Minister to direct CBI and other central agencies to expedite their investigations into the cases of sacrilege and targeted killings in Punjab.

"Spoke to Rajnath Singh ji about slow probe by CBI etc in Punjab sacrilege and targeted killings cases, he promised to get things expedited," he said on Twitter.

Considering the recent inputs received from the central agencies that indicate plans of militant/radical organisations/individuals to target RSS Shakhas, DSS Naam Charcha Kendras, religious places, and targeted individuals, Amarinder stressed the need for the various agencies to augment their efforts to solve the pending cases.