Two migrated Sikh families from Afghanistan hail Citizenship Amendment Bill

Two Sikh families, which migrated here from Afghanistan eight years ago, on Wednesday urged opposition parties to support the Citizenship Amendment Bill, saying they should show sympathy towards the Sikhs and Hindus who were living in pitiable conditions in neighbouring countries.

"Today is our real Diwali," said Shammi Singh and Amrik Singh, head of two Sikh families, as the bill was moved in the Rajya Sabha by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The families of Shammi and Amrik were among the Sikh families from several Asian countries which took refuge in India eight years ago.

They said they were forced to leave their country, leaving behind their properties and savings, due to forcible conversions and because the women in their families were not safe there.

Amrik Singh, who resides in the new Kundan Puri locality here, said that his family earlier ran a cloth business in the Shoar Bazar in Kabul.

The two urged the parties not to oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 just for the sake of opposition.

"The parties opposing the bill should show sympathy towards the pitiable condition of Sikhs and Hindus living in Afghanistan and Pakistan," they said.

In reply to a question, Shammi Singh said that over the years a large number of Sikhs have migrated from the two countries and taken refuge in India.

They feel secure here and do not want to go to any other country, he said.

While thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for the bill, they said after granting citizenship, the government should do something to improve their financial situation.

Meanwhile, some Hindu families that migrated to Haryana's Sirsa district from Pakistan nearly three decades ago welcomed the Modi government's step of bringing in the bill.

Some said they had left Pakistan after facing attacks following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992.

The bill which has already been approved by the Lok Sabha, proposes to give citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Jains, Budhists and Sikhs facing religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

It provides Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who illegally migrated to India from these countries.