Afghan Sikh, Hindu leaders meet Jaishankar; seek visas, help in gurdwara, temple upkeep

Guljeet Singh, a senior Afghan Sikh community leader and president of Guru Nanak Sahib Trust, said that Thursday’s meeting was held at Gurdwara Guru Arjan Dev, Mahavir Nagar and the minister was apprised of issued being faced by Afghan Sikh and Hindu community who have moved to India.

“After the Taliban takeover, there is no representative from the Hindu or Sikh community in the Afghan government. So, the security of historic gurdwaras and temples remain a matter of concern. Currently, we have around a handful of persons in Kabul who are taking care of the religious institutions. The visas of the last batch of 11 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus have also been issued and they will return to India soon. We have requested the minister to grant us multiple entry/exit visas to at least 15 of our community members, so that they can keep going back to Afghanistan to ensure the safety of gurdwaras and temples left behind. Though all saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib have been shifted to Delhi, it is likely that temple/gurdwara properties and land might be encroached and grabbed back in Afghanistan. A committee of Afghan leaders along with SGPC members can be constituted as SGPC is ready to bear expenses for maintenance of gurdwaras in Afghanistan,” said Guljeet Singh.

In a memorandum submitted by the community members to the minister on Thursday, they also highlighted that several applications of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who have applied for Indian citizenship were pending. “There is a significant delay in processing of citizenship applications due to lack of coordination within government agencies internally. Despite completion of a mandatory residency period of 12 years through naturalization, the applications of Sikhs and Hindus have been pending since decades. We request the government to setup a single window for speedy processing of citizenship applications submitted by Afghan minorities,” urged the community members in their plea.

The community has further told the minister that since decades, the government of India had been helping them by granting long term visas valid for upto five years. But since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, all the visas issued previously had been rendered invalid. Thereafter, they have been told to apply for e-visas but the processing has been very slow. “Even in case of emergencies, such as attending funerals or getting medical treatment, the visas aren’t processed on time. Similarly, Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who were already living in India on stay visa or residential permits haven’t been able to get exit/re-entry visas to go back to Afghanistan to take care of
their properties,” submitted the community leaders to the minister.

The minister has been further urged by the delegation to consider setting up of an “Afghan Nagar” at a suitable location where they could construct their permanent homes.

Later, while speaking to the media after his meeting, Jaishankar said that he had heard out the problems of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who have shifted to India. “They are here now, but what next? We have to resolve their issues both in India and back in Afghanistan. Some of them want to go back and then return as they have to take care of their properties there. They are also worried about upkeep of gurdwaras and temple in Afghanistan. So a mechanism has to be worked out that they can go and return. There are certain reasons due to which people coming from or going to Afghanistan aren’t getting visas easily. But I have heard them and they have a strong case to be granted double/triple or multiple entry visas,” said the minister.