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Hindu, Sikh Afghan refugees in Indian yearn for Home

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Afghans in India yearn for home
Dharitri Bhattacharjee,TNN,Feb 27, 2011, 02.31am IST
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* Balraj Sahni

In Tagore's 'Kabuliwala', an Afghan moneylender longs for his 'watan' even as he develops affection for a little girl, Mini, in Kolkata. The character of Rehmat, later immortalized by Balraj Sahni on screen, became synonymous with the Kabuliwalas who arrived in the city sometime in the late 19th century, bringing with them spices and dry fruits from Afghanistan. More than 500 Afghans call Kolkata home. They refuse to be called refugees.

The scene is a bit different in Delhi, where the number of Afghan refugees may be as high as 25,000. Only 9,094 of them are recognized as refugees and issued "blue cards" by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR). Most of them feel insecure. Says Jagmohan Gulati, a Sikh Afghan: "The India government is insensitive to our problems. We get no aid. The Afghan embassy also turns a deaf ear to our problems."


In the Tilak Nagar gurdwara, also known as the "Kabuli gurdwara," the refugees exchange sad tales of separated families, bureaucratic glitches and long waits for India citizenship almost every day. "If I had money I could easily become an Indian citizen. It is my misfortune that I have nowhere to go," says an old Sikh.

Since 1981, thousands of Hindus and Sikhs have come to India from Afghanistan but only 650 of them have become naturalized Indian citizens. Others are waiting for Indian citizenship.


According to Nayana Bose, Associate External Relations Officer of UNHCR, more than 90% Afghan refugees are Sikhs or Hindus. She points out how for any foreigner interested in Indian citizenship, 12 years of residency in the country is a must. This applies to refugees as well. Consequently, the resettlement process for many has become a long and tiresome process.

The ethnic Afghans too have been struggling for a better life. A group of 38 men and 48 women, all ethnic Afghans, who have been provided employment by Don Bosco Ashalayam with the help of UNHCR, Delhi does not knpw what the future holds for them. Homaira Frotan (name changed on request) left Kabul for Delhi in 2006 as she was worried about her children's future. "There were many cases of kidnapping. We are Christians. We had hidden for long in Kabul but it was no more possible. We cannot continue to live in India either. It is so expensive. We have now applied for citizenship in Canada and Australia," says Frotan.

Afghans in India yearn for home - Times Of India
 
Afghans in India yearn for home

It would be good if the Dharmic religions (Sanatan Dharma, Buddha Dharma and Sikh Dharma) continue to have at least a small presence in Afghanistan. Eventually we would like Afghans to be more open to their own pre-Islamic history, which also includes Zoroastrianism.
 
Why can't Indian government give citizenship to a few thousand people! We alreeady have 1.1 Billion people here, what difference is 10000 going to make. :hitwall:
 
Afghans in India yearn for home
. "If I had money I could easily become an Indian citizen. It is my misfortune that I have nowhere to go," says an old Sikh.

It is indeed unfortunate that the living costs are so high that it becomes impossible for these migrants to sustain themselves in major Indian cities without any govt help. The issue is that govt can't really don two faces while it is making the lives of the BD immigrants tougher, it cannot allow more refugees into the country. Unfortunately they will have to wait till their turn to get citizenship.
 
It is indeed unfortunate that the living costs are so high that it becomes impossible for these migrants to sustain themselves in major Indian cities without any govt help. The issue is that govt can't really don two faces while it is making the lives of the BD immigrants tougher, it cannot allow more refugees into the country. Unfortunately they will have to wait till their turn to get citizenship.

I dont know what are rules in India for getting citizenship and how many years are mandatory but the news report by Indian media said majority of these Afghan Hindus and Sikhs came to India in the 80s.
 
They should try for Germany who accept Afghani hindus and sikhs there is big community there

well yes i also support this because since many years Germany, Canada and Australia had been accepting Afghans for immigration and i feel that would be good choice then going to any south asian country
 

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