Gov't will help Afghanistan's Sikhs and Hindus to come to India: MEA

CAA Image Courtesy:freepressjournal.in

The Indian government has said it will help Afghanistan’s Sikh and Hindu community to come to India. The Foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi issued a statement on Monday confirming this: “We are in constant touch with the representatives of Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities. We will facilitate repatriation to India of those who wish to leave Afghanistan.”

The statement came in response to media queries on India’s response to the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan. Arindam Bagchi that the situation in Afghanistan was being “monitored on a constant basis at high levels. The Government will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan.”

India has investments in Afghanistan worth millions of dollars in development projects. Baghchi said the Government of India had issued “periodic advisories for the safety and security of Indian nationals in that country, including calling for their immediate return to India. We had circulated emergency contact numbers and had also been extending assistance to community members. We are aware that there are still some Indian nationals in Afghanistan who wish to return and we are in touch with them.” The Indian Embassy in Kabul had in fact issued a Security Advisory for Indian Nationals in Afghanistan a few days ago.

Security Advisory for Indian Nationals in Afghanistan@MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/SMKc7uAfl8
— India in Afghanistan (@IndianEmbKabul) August 12, 2021

On August 17 External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, who is currently in New York, posted helpdesk details of MEA Special Afghanistan Cell on social media:

“Phone number: +919717785379

Email: MEAHelpdeskIndia@gmail.com “

Given the Kabul situation, important we have accurate information about Indians there. Urge that this be provided by all concerned to the MEA Special Afghanistan Cell at:
Phone number: +919717785379
Email: MEAHelpdeskIndia@gmail.com
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 16, 2021

Baghchi in his statement had confirmed that India was in touch with “representatives of Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities. We will facilitate repatriation to India of those who wish to leave Afghanistan. There are also a number of Afghans who have been our partners in the promotion of our mutual developmental, educational and people to people endeavours. We will stand by them.” He added that the government was awaiting the resumption of flights to restart the repatriation process. The complete statement may be read here:

https://mea.gov.in/response-to-queries.htm?dtl/34184/Official_Spokespersons_response_to_media_queries_regarding_the_situation_in_Afghanistan

Remember the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)

In July this year, the Home Ministry sought an extension of time for framing the rules of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was passed by the Parliament in 2019. The CAA came into force on January 10, 2020. The reason behind calling CAA controversial is that it seeks to grant citizenship to immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, belonging to Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, Christian and Sikh communities, and only excludes Muslims. President’s assent to this amendment act was followed by widespread protests calling the new amendment anti-minority and discriminatory.