NRI Commission takes note of Punjabis’ murders abroad

Friday, 02/08/2013

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=76779&boxid=58455&uid=&dat=2013-08-02

Chandigarh : The Punjab State Commission for NRIs has taken a suo moto notice of the murders of two financers from Punjab in Philippines recently and has asked the Chief Secretary to take up the matter at the highest level for necessary action in this regard.

In an order issued here on Thursday, the Commission chairperson Justice Arvind Kumar (retired) and member ADGP S Chattopadhyaya took note of the news reports appeared recently. “Philippines had established diplomatic relations with India.

Both the countries agreed to increase their multi-dimensional comprehensive relations evolving between both the countries in matters of bilateral/regional security, defence, counter-terrorism, transnational crimes, cooperation in trade, economic, scientific, technological and other fields. Both the countries had close coordination to improve their efficiency, representativeness and legitimacy, and for them to better meet the contemporary challenges faced by the international community,” the Commission noted.

It further observed that while a large number of agreements, treaties and Memorandum of Understandings between India and Philippines reflect the existing potential and wide range of probable areas for enhanced bilateral cooperation but it seems there was minimal implementation due to lack of proactive initiatives by the policymakers in the implementation of the agreements.

“A spate of murders mainly of Punjabis, mostly financers in the Philippines is a telling exposure of poor policing, poor attitudes, poor laws, poor machinery, and complete inaction and neglect,” it felt. The Commission asked the Chief Secretary to take up this matter at the highest level and seek a report from concerned departments on any such action. “If not, then to direct them to coordinate immediately with Union Ministries of External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs for the welfare and safety of Punjabi NRIs, who are settled in Philippines and curb such killings in future,” it further directed. A copy of this order was also sent to Secretaries of Union Ministries of External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs for information and necessary action at their end.

SAD LASHES OUT AT UPA
Chandigarh: The ruling Shiormani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday strongly lashed out at Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur for being a mute spectator to serial killings of Punjabis in Philippines and her failure as a Minister to put diplomatic pressure on Phillipines to check rising crime against Punjabis settled there. In a statement issued here, the SAD secretary and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said that it was during the tenure of Preneet Kaur as Union Minister of State for External Affairs that there were repeated violent attacks on Punjabis in various countries where a record number of Punjabis, especially Sikhs have been made target.

“It is unfortunate that with a Sikh woman being incharge of External Affairs Ministry and a Sikh Prime Minister, the country has miserably failed to check the hate crimes against Sikhs as a religious community besides infringement of their right to profess their faith in any country,” pointed out Cheema, while seeking public apology from the UPA government, especially Preneet Kaur.