Evacuate Sikhs, Hindus from Afghanistan: Shergill to Centre

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 9

Congress leader and spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill on Monday wrote to the Centre demanding immediate evacuation of Sikhs and Hindus stranded in Afghanistan and said special visas be granted to them.

In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today, Shergill, who hails from Jalandhar, condemned recent attacks on a gurdwara in Afghanistan and said, “As you are more than aware, the Taliban offensive has escalated in Afghanistan post the US withdrawal of troops and they are fighting at gunpoint to turn the country once again into a hub for transnational terrorism. The current catastrophic trajectory of violence has caused a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, thus risking the lives of people, including those from India. As per information in public domain, around 650 Sikhs and 50 Hindus are stuck in Afghanistan and have become sitting targets for the Taliban adamant to kill minorities belonging to Indian origin. There have been numerous episodes of attacks on minorities of Indian origin.”

Shergill cited the recent act of the Taliban removing ‘Nishan Sahib’ from the holy gurdwara located in the Chamkani area of Paktia; killing of 25 Sikhs during the attack on Gurdwara Har Rai Sahib in Kabul; suicide attack in Jalalabad on July 1, 2018, in which 19 Sikhs and Hindus were killed, to make his point.

“This is a living testimony that Afghanistan is no longer a safe country for Indian origin Hindus and Sikhs. These people are fearing for their lives and have appealed to the Government of India for immediate evacuation. The government may kindly consider giving special visas to around 700 Sikhs and Hindus stuck in violence and strife-struck Afghanistan and evacuate them on consent basis immediately on similar pattern as done in year 2020,” Shergill said.