UK MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi meets NRI Affairs minister Sanjeev Arora

Three-time UK MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, who hails from Jalandhar, met NRI Affairs Minister Sanjeev Arora during his visit to the city. Both were given a warm welcome by Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal. Dhesi was accompanied by his uncle Paramjit Singh Raipur, SGPC executive committee member and ex-Chairman of Jalandhar Improvement Trust.

The hour-long meeting covered various issues related to the NRIs, especially land dispute and seizure matters, which was a cause of concern. Extortion demands also came up as a problem, which needed to be dealt with to ensure people’s safety.

Related news: UK MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi urges Punjab to address key NRI issues

Dhesi said the government could start an effective one-window system, which overseas Punjabis could rely on to address their concerns, and also deal with business people, who want to invest in Punjab, so that they could avoid cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles.

Dhesi once again raised the issue for more direct flights to Amritsar and Chandigarh, particularly from London, Birmingham and other European destinations, North America and Asia. This would help connect global Punjabis and tourists directly with Punjab, while also increasing trade, he said. Given the millions of diaspora Punjabis, Dhesi hoped that Punjab could emerge as a major power in the aviation sector. He requested for investment and political support from both the Indian and the Punjab Governments to help make it happen.

Dhesi and Arora held discussion on reopening of the international cargo port in Amritsar, which was closed after recent Indo-Pak tensions. Dhesi also requested for reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor.

Other long-pending emotive issues such as the release of political prisoners, who had served their sentences and the case of the British national Jagtar Singh Johal were also discussed.

Dhesi emphasised that people of Punjabi heritage across the globe like him had the desire to deepen ties and prayed for Punjab’s progress. He hoped matters raised would be taken seriously by the Punjab Government and relevant authorities in India.

Notably, Dhesi was elected last year by the British Parliament as Chairman of the Defence Committee. It is the first time any person from ethnic minority has been elected to serve in this influential and powerful parliamentary committee.