PM Modi To Meet Members Of Afghan Sikh, Hindu Communities

Prime minister Narendra Modi will meet members of the Hindu and Sikh community who fled fearing Taliban persecution in Afghanistan on Saturday, people familiar with the developments told News18.

The Indian World Forum ahead of the meeting urged PM Modi to extend his help to Sikhs and Hindus fleeing Taliban persecution in Afghanistan regarding several issues. The Indian World Forum head Puneet Chandhok in a letter highlighted that Afghan Hindus and Sikhs are facing issues related to Indian citizenship and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI), urgent issuance of e-visa on humanitarian grounds for these communities, establishment of a committee for maintenance and protection of ancient places of worship for both these communities, resettlement of these communities and recruitment of the people belonging to Sikh community is security be discussed with the delegation.

India launched Operation Devi Shakti to evacuate stranded citizens as well as people from minority communities as well as Afghans from Afghanistan when Taliban seized control of the war-torn nation. India evacuated more than 500 people from Afghanistan of which 260 were Indians. India will also ship wheat and other essentials including medicines later next week to Afghanistan to help the nation fight a humanitarian crisis caused due to the sudden Taliban takeover.

The India World Forum requested the prime minister to set up a single window facility for these communities so that they can be granted citizenship and issued OCI cards. It’s third demand, important due to the Taliban’s reputation of ill-treatment towards minorities, is to establish committees with international stakeholders so that estates owned by people of the said communities and their places of worship are not desecrated or demolished by ‘unruly’ elements. It urged the Indian government to evaluate a plan under which people from these communities can visit back and monitor them.

It also proposes setting up an ‘Afghan Nagar’ where these communities can be given proper housing. The set of proposals also requests the government to consider recruiting Sikhs in  Armed Forces and Central Police Organisations under a special drive.

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