Why not provide refuge to Oppressed Pak Hindu families

- Anil Narendra

The matter relating to coming to India of oppressed Pak Hindu families and giving them Indian citizenships was raised in Rajya Sabha last week. It may be mentioned that Hindus settled in Pakistan are being subjected to severe oppression and atrocities. They are very much concerned about their own security in Pakistan. These Hindu families had come to India on religious visa and now they want to stay here. They have, therefore, asked for Indian citizenships. An appeal has also been filed in this regard in the Delhi High Court and the Court has stayed the repatriation of these 157 Pakistani Hindus. Their visas have expired three months' back. The High Court has asked the Government, why these persons should not be given Indian citizenship? The Government has to file its reply to this question by February. But, since there is no clear-cut policy in such matters and the Government decides these matters on the case-to-case basis, as such these terrified families are apprehensive about Government's decision. We feel that clear policies to deal with such matters must be devised. The people of Indian nationality, living in foreign countries and desirous of returning to India to settle here, should be allowed to do so. In the absence of a clear cut policy, such people of Indian origin enter India surreptitiously and stay here. It may be noted, such incidents have been witnessed in the past. In 1971, lakhs of Bangladeshi Hindus, who were apprehensive of their security in the erstwhile East Pakistan, and felt that the Pakistan Army would massacre them, fled to India. Hundreds of Sikh families came to India from Afghanistan escaping Taliban atrocities. Lakhs of Buddhists in Tibet, fled Chinese persecution and settled in India. Then why these families, coming from Pakistan cannot settle in India? We would like to remind the Government of India that lakhs of Bangladeshi Muslims have illegally entered India and have settled here. They have, got not only their ration cards, but their election cards made and Government of India dare not oust these people from India. This matter has been raised in various Courts , but every time, a few Bangladeshis are sent back and further action is stopped.  We request the Government to allow these unfortunate 157 Hindu families, who have got uprooted from Pakistan to settle in India, so that they can start their life again here.  The Government of India has recently contacted people of Indian origin living abroad. The Ministry of Overseas Indians, Government of India will have to take initiative in this regard, as it is in their constant touch and understands their agony.  The Ministry will have to formulate such policies, that would allow those people of Indian origin, who have been living abroad to continue their links with the land of their origin and to settle in India, if they so desire. We must not forget that a number of Indians go abroad under one or the other compulsion. We must welcome Indians of different faiths including Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims.