The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal has strongly criticized the functioning and relevance of the NRI Sabha, describing it as a “white elephant” that has failed to justify its existence. He said that before even discussing fresh elections, the Sabha must first disclose its past performance, achievements, and shortcomings in a transparent and accountable manner.
Chahal stated that the NRI Sabha was created with the stated objective of acting as a bridge between the Punjab government and the global Punjabi diaspora. However, in practical terms, it has remained largely inactive, symbolic, and disconnected from the real and pressing issues faced by NRIs. These include property and land disputes, harassment by local officials, fraudulent transactions, and the absence of an effective grievance redressal mechanism.
According to NAPA, calling for elections without first explaining what the Sabha has actually delivered makes no sense. Chahal emphasized that elections without accountability are meaningless and only serve cosmetic purposes. He said NRIs deserve to know how much public money has been spent on the Sabha, what outcomes were achieved, and how many genuine NRI problems were resolved during its tenure.
He further pointed out that over the years the NRI Sabha has increasingly become a platform for political favoritism and honorary positions, rather than a functional institution working in the interest of overseas Punjabis. Many NRIs, he noted, are not even aware of the Sabha’s role, structure, or mandate, which clearly reflects its failure to engage the community it claims to represent.
NAPA demanded that the Punjab government and the NRI Sabha leadership immediately release a comprehensive performance report detailing actions taken on NRI grievances, financial expenditures, number of cases handled and resolved, policy recommendations made, and the actual impact of those recommendations. Without such disclosure, Chahal warned, any election process would only deepen mistrust and reinforce the perception that the Sabha exists only on paper.
Chahal concluded by stating that if an institution cannot demonstrate its usefulness and outcomes, it should either be thoroughly reformed or dissolved altogether.NAPA reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for transparent, effective, and result-oriented institutions that genuinely serve the interests of Punjabis living abroad,rather than sustaining hollow structures with no real value.