Haridwar: Following an amendment to the Central Government's sponsorship policy when it comes to immersing the ashes of Pakistani Hindus in the Ganges at Uttarakhand's Haridwar, 'Teerth Purohits' (pilgrimage priests) at the holy city on Wednesday welcomed the decision, terming it as a transformative move that would strengthen harmony between the two countries.
The sponsorship policy, which earlier required a family member or acquaintance settled in India to sponsor those arriving from Pakistan, was scrapped at the beginning of 2023 by the Modi government. Media reports from Pakistan noted that the Indian government had indicated it would provide a 10-day visa to visiting Hindus for immersing their kin's ashes at the Ganges in Haridwar.
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The development assumes significance in the backdrop of the religious importance of the Ganges in Hinduism. According to Hindu belief, the soul of a deceased person escapes the cycle of rebirth if their ashes are immersed in the river at Haridwar.
Terming it a 'historic decision', Mahant Jaswinder Singh Kothari of Nirmal Akhada said the development was a major one for Hindus living anywhere. "This is a welcome decision for anyone who practices Hinduism. Pakistan was once part of India, and there are substantial numbers of people who practice the Hindu faith there. Many of them do not have any relatives in India but wish to visit the Ganges. I would like to wish them all well" he noted.
"Earlier, Hindus from Pakistan could not fulfill the last wishes of their deceased loved ones. Many of them were unsuccessful in securing a visa. This decision of the Narendra Modi government indicates that it looks after those practicing Hinduism, no matter where they might be situated. I wholeheartedly welcome this," Teerth Purohit Ujwal Pandit said.
