Third batch of Afghan minorities with Sri Guru Granth Sahib reaches New Delhi

The third batch of 128 members of minuscule Hindu and Sikh communities from Afghanistan reached to New Delhi in a special flight facilitated by the Government of India. For the first time, Sri Guru Granth Sahib has been brought by Sikhs with them from Afghanistan. Total of 173 Hindus and Sikhs have reached India so for.

New Delhi: The third batch of 128 members of minuscule Hindu and Sikh communities from Afghanistan, who have been facing persecution at the hands of Pakistan-backed Taliban, landed in New Delhi in a special flight facilitated by the Government of India. For the first time, Sri Guru Granth Sahib has been brought by Sikhs with them from Afghanistan. Total of 173 Hindus and Sikhs have reached India so for.

The group has been granted short-term visas by the Indian Embassy in Kabul. As per the latest Covid-19 protocols of the government of India, these Afghan citizens will be quarantined. The arrangements for stay and resettlement is done by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).

National spokesperson, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Manjinder Singh Sirsa in a statement said," DSGMC is thankful to the govt of India for helping and arranging visas. So far around 180 Hindus and Sikhs have reached India. This third batch has brought 'Swaroop' of Sri Guru Granth Sahib which we have taken to Gurdwara Sahib"

It was in July that Union govt had started facilitating Afghan Hindus and Sikhs visa and now, as per the latest reports, their requests for Indian citizenship will also be considered. The announcement for facilitating Afghan minorities was made after the release of Nidhan Singh, a sehajdhari sikh who was abducted and later released in Patkia of Afghanistan.

The repatriation process was immediately initiated by the Indian Government after perturbing reports of rampant security threats, human rights violations, and decimated on the minority communities surfaced.

The first batch of 11 Afghan Sikhs reached New Delhi on July 26 and the second batch with 48 Hindus and Sikhs reached on August 14. Among the repatriates, included 60-year-old Delhi-based Sikh Nidan Singh Sachdeva and 16-year-old Sunmeet Kaur, who were kidnapped by terrorists there and was later rescued by security agencies. The other members included families of Afghan Sikhs who were killed in Kabul Gurudwara terror attack.

Months after the Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA) came into force, the Indian Sikhs welcomed the first batch. At least 600 Hindu and Sikhs of Afghan nationality are in touch with Embassy of India in Kabul and are seeking their return to India.

India is facilitating the entire process of returning of Afghan Hindu and Sikh community members facing security threats in Afghanistan and extended a helping hand despite the ongoing pandemic.