New Delhi- Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has appealed to External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to urgently take up with the US government the reported freezing of work visas for foreign truck drivers following a recent fatal crash involving a Punjabi trucker.
Badal expressed concern that the move has created fear among Punjabis working in the US trucking industry, warning that any mass action against the community would be “discriminatory” given their decades-long role in building and sustaining North America’s trucking logistics networks.
She emphasized that “a grave mistake by one driver should not be used to punish the entire community” and urged the minister to ensure consular access for Harjinder Singh, the truck driver arrested on three counts of vehicular homicide, so he can receive proper legal support.
The Bathinda MP also raised concerns over the newly introduced US executive order mandating English language proficiency for truckers. She appealed for leniency, requesting that foreign drivers—including Punjabis—be given adequate time and opportunities to meet the new requirements. “Those who fail the test should be allowed to reapply so that their means of livelihood are not taken away,” she said.
Badal urged the MEA to safeguard the interests of the Punjabi trucking community and ensure fair treatment for all foreign drivers in the US.