Will discuss setting up special courts for NRIs declared POs: Capt

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, November 12

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has assured the Punjabi diaspora that he would take up the issue of setting up special Courts to expeditiously settle cases of those who had been declared Proclaimed Offenders (POs), after fleeing Punjab during the days of terrorism, with the Chief Justice of the High Court, as well as the Central Government.

He was responding to a request from a group of NRIs here for the 550th Prakash Purb celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev on Monday evening.

The NRIs expressed the concern that many of those who had immigrated abroad were unable to visit Punjab and pay their respects at the Darbar Sahib and other holy places as they had been declared POs on account of their inability to appear before the courts in certain cases.

The Chief Minister said he would discuss with the Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court the possibility of setting up a Special Court to resolve such cases speedily. He further said he would take up with the Government of India the possibility of setting up such Special Courts in a few Indian Missions abroad, such as UK, USA, Canada, Germany and France, where a large Punjabi population resided.

The Chief Minister urged members of the Punjabi diaspora to join his government’s efforts to lead the state to a new era of development, with the aim of securing the future generations and enabling their progress. He appreciated them for making Punjab and India proud with their work in different parts of the world.

Referring to his Government’s flagship programme ‘Connect With Your Roots’, the Chief Minister thanked the NRIs for motivating their children to participate in the same. He urged them to encourage more youngsters to visit Punjab and connect with their ancestral legacy.