Hindu families from Pakistan cross Attari-Wagah border, could seek asylum
On Monday, nearly 200 Hindus from Pakistan crossed the Attari-Wagah border to enter India and could now seek asylum here as they felt unsafe in the neighboring country. Though most of them are on tourist visas, they hope the new law on citizenship — the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), will help them become Indian citizens. Read on for more details.
How CAA hopes to help persecuted religious minorities
CAA, that amended Section 2 of the Citizenship Act, got the Parliament and President Ram Nath Kovind's assent in December. As per the new law, Hindus, Parsis, Christians, Jains, and Sikhs who face religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, will be favored when applying for Indian citizenship. However, some saw it as an attack on India's secularism, since Muslims were left out.
Hoping for asylum, they brought luggage along
After CAA, the number of Hindu travelers entering India has gone up, border officials said according to PTI. Most of them who came to India on Monday belonged to Karachi and Sindh areas. Optimistic that they might extend their visit, they brought luggage along. Some of them were traveling to Rajasthan to spend some time with their relatives.
Want to stay in India: Man who fled Pakistan
Our girls don't feel safe in north-west Pakistan, said another
"We are not feeling safe in Pakistan. Our girls feel insecure as they fear that they could be kidnapped any time by hardliners while police watch as mute spectators. Our girls cannot walk freely in the north-west area of Pakistan," a woman told the agency.
Sirsa received four families, assured to help them
Of those who came to India, four Dalit-Hindu families were received by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who promised to request Centre to give them Indian citizenship. "These families have come to India to take refuge as they are religiously persecuted in Pakistan... They were facing many hardships...the daughters of a family were kidnapped and forced to convert," he said.
Will meet Home Minister Amit Shah, said Sirsa
"Right now I have four families who want to live in India and do not want to go back to Pakistan. One of them is a family of doctors. I will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with the victim families," he added.
