Afghan Sikh refugees from Afghanistan arrived at New Delhi airport. ANI
New Delhi: A special flight, organised by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar, carrying 55 Afghan Sikh refugees from Afghanistan arrived in India at New Delhi airport on Sunday, as a part of attempts to evacuate the distressed minorities.
The flight operated by Ariana Afghan with a number 315 was organised by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee, Amritsar in coordination with the Indian World Forum and the Government of India to evacuate these Afghan minorities.
The evacuated Afghan Sikh refugees thanked the government of India and PM Modi for providing fast e-visas and safely evacuating them.
“We would like to thank the Indian government to give us urgent visas and help us to reach India. We are 55 families who have arrived here today, but many of us still have families left behind as around 30-35 people are left stranded in Afghanistan. They have been issued visas from the Indian government, but it is their wish now if they want to return or not,” Sukhbeer Singh Khalsa, Afghan Sikh refugee said.
“I would like to thank the Indian government and PM Modi to facilitate with e-visa and help us return to India. Besides, I would like to thank Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Puneet Chandowk and all other organisations who made this a success; hence, we returned safely,” Mansa Singh, a sevadar at Kabul gurdwara told news agency ANI.
Another, Afghan immigrant Baljeet Singh, mentioned about the terrible situations in Taliban- led Afghanistan and said that he was imprisoned for four months.
“The condition is not very well in Afghanistan. I was imprisoned for four months. Taliban have cheated us, they butchered our hair in prison. I am thankful and happy to return to India and to our religion,” said an Afghan Sikh, Baljeet Singh.
According to ANI, International President of World Punjabi Organisation and Punjab Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Vikramjit Singh Sahney received the Afghan refugees who arrived at the Indira Gandhi Airport.
68 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs have arrived till date after the attack at Gurudwara Karte Parwan in Kabul. SGPC is bearing the airfare for the same. On 3 August, a non-scheduled commercial flight operated by Kam Air from Kabul brought at least 30 Afghan Sikhs, including children and newborns, to Delhi.
With inputs from agencies
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