Mexico case: NRI panel asks missing youths’ kin to move overseas ministry

Jalandhar : Taking a suo motu notice of the news report ‘5 years on, no trace of 11 youths missing in Mexico’ published in this newspaper on December 8, the Punjab State NRI Commission has asked the parents of missing youths to approach the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) directly under ‘MADAD’, a consular grievances monitoring system.‘MADAD’ deals with grievances regarding compensation, court cases, domestic helps, imprisonment abroad, transportation of mortal remains, repatriation, salary dues and tracing the whereabouts of the missing persons. The Commission while disposing of the petition stated that parents are also at liberty to approach the state government for taking up their cause with the MOIA and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The NRI Commission took notice after Jalandhar-based human rights activist Kulwant Singh Nagra wrote to it last week. The move has come as a big respite to these families who till date could not approach the state government for help fearing a police action against them for sending their sons through illegal means. Nagra said during his meeting with the families of missing youths, a majority of them had accused the police of threatening them to file a case against them for sending their boys illegally.“After the boys went missing around five years ago, these families were only waiting for some miracle to happen in all these years. Even the district administration, too, did not bother to report on the youths missing in their area. Now, with the NRI Commission coming to their rescue, they could approach the state government for help,” said Nagra.Satnam Singh Chahal, chairman, US-based North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) said though the youths might have gone through illegal means, they needed to be traced and brought back to their country. “At least, their families have a right to know about their wellbeing,” said Chahal. The families, though unaware about the ‘MADAD’ scheme, said that they would approach the state government for help.