Amid protests, three Hindus from Pak get citizenship

Morbi (Guj), December 21

Even as protests continue against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act across the country, a Gujarat Lok Sabha MP on Saturday handed out citizenship certificates to three members of a Hindu family who came to India from Pakistan seeking refuge over a decade ago.

Rajkot Lok Sabha MP Mohan Kundariya handed out the certificates to Harsinh Sodha, Sarupsinh Sodha and Parbatsinh Sodha, who came to India in 2007, at a function held at Vavdi village in Morbi.

Kundariya said a thousand such Hindu refugees who are residing in Morbi would soon get citizenship, thanks to the CAA passed by the Narendra Modi government.

“There are over a thousand such persons from Pakistan who are residing in Morbi. Due to the new law (CAA), they will eventually get citizenship. Today, three of a family were handed out certificates under rules framed by the Union and state governments,” he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Harsinh Sodha, said it was a very happy day for him and thanked the Union government.

“We had come to India from Pakistan in 2007. Today we have become Indian citizens. It is a very proud and happy day for us. We are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and (Union Home Minister) Amit Shahji for this,” he said.

He added the CAA was a “matter of great relief and assurance for Hindus from neighbouring countries who have fled to India”. – PTI