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Chandigarh: The Punjab State Commission for Non-Resident Indians has stepped in to safeguard large-scale philanthropic initiatives of NRIs in flood-affected regions of the state, following complaints of threats from “unscrupulous elements.”
Issuing wide-ranging directions, Commission Chairman Justice Sureshwar Thakur ordered that Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police personally ensure protection to two complainants — Iqvinder Singh and Surinder Paul Sharma — and other NRIs intending to carry out charitable works in flood-hit areas. He emphasised that any obstruction to such initiatives would defeat the very objectives of the Punjab State Commission for NRIs Act, 2011.
The Commission noted that the complainants’ philanthropic projects could be jeopardised if such threats were allowed to prevail, stressing that it was bound to recommend remedial measures to facilitate welfare initiatives for NRIs and their native communities. Justice Thakur said the NRIs must be allowed to “effectively undertake and execute their espoused philanthropic mission without obstacles from any quarter.”
Directing protective cover to all NRIs pursuing similar efforts, the Commission said armed police deployment should be ensured at relevant sites to ward off threats. It further clarified that the protection would apply to any NRI from Punjab seeking to undertake comparable charitable works. The order has been sent to Deputy Commissioners and SSPs concerned for compliance, with progress reports to be submitted by November 27.
The case arose from a complaint by Iqvinder Singh and Surinder Paul Sharma, both NRIs with roots in Punjab, who alleged that their flood-relief mission in local panchayats was being undermined by “unscrupulous persons.” The devastating floods, caused by incessant rainfall and overflowing rivers, had inundated large parts of Punjab, damaging crops and endangering livestock.
While acknowledging it lacked jurisdiction to mandate action against individuals directly, the Commission held that its statutory duty extended to recommending measures whenever NRI philanthropic initiatives were imperilled. Appreciating the efforts of the complainants, Justice Thakur also expressed hope that their initiatives would extend support to disaster-hit regions in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, which too has suffered devastating floods and landslides.
