Hindu minorities from Pak, B'desh get Indian citizenship certs

Eight Hindus from Pakistan and Bangladesh, currently residing in Maharashtra, were today granted Indian citizenship certificates by MoS, Home (Urban) Ranjeet Patil.

The union government had earlier decided to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu minorities who had earlier resided in Pakistan or Bangladesh and are currently residing in India, a release issued by the state government said.

In accordance with the decision taken in 2016, states are empowered to award citizenship certificates to such people, it said.

"According to this decision, eight residents from Jalgaon, Kolhapur, and Aurangabad districts were allotted citizenship certificates in a programme held at the state secretariat," the release stated.

"From the last several years, there were demands to grant Indian citizenship for Hindu minorities hailing from Pakistan and Bangladesh who are now living in India. We are happy that this demand is fulfilled," Patil said.