Take up work visa issue of foreign truck drivers with US govt: Harsimrat Kaur

Chandigarh, Aug 23 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to take up the issue of freezing of work visas of all foreign truck drivers with the US government as it would have a catastrophic effect on Punjabi families who were the backbone of the trucking business there.

The Bathinda MP, who also wrote to the External Affairs Minister, said there was an apprehension that several Punjabis who were in the trucking industry may be forced to leave the US.

“Punjabi and Sikh drivers make up 20 per cent of the United States’ trucking industry, with around 1.5 lakh Sikh drivers engaging in the trucking business. Any mass-level action against them would have a detrimental effect on trucking families and would be discriminatory in nature because Punjabis have built and sustained trucking logistics and trucking networks over decades.”

She urged the minister to take appropriate steps to allay these fears. Kaur urged the minister to convey to the US government that the Punjabi community had played a vital role in meeting the high demand for drivers and alleviating the stress of driver shortages on American consumers and its economy.

She said accordingly, it should be stressed that a mistake by one driver, which had resulted in a fatal accident, should not be used to punish the entire community.

The MP also urged the minister to ensure counsellor access was provided to Harjinder Singh, who had been arrested on three counts of vehicular homicide, so that his case could be pleaded appropriately.

Reacting to the new executive order detailing new English language proficiency rules for all truckers, she urged the minister to take up the issue of giving foreign drivers, including Punjabis, time to upgrade their English language skills to the required level.

“Those failing such proficiency tests should be allowed to apply for the same again so that their means of livelihood are not taken away from them completely,” she added.

--IANS

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