The Taliban are learnt to havestopped a batch of 70 Afghan Sikhs andHindus, including two minority members of Afghanistan parliament, from boardingan Indian Air Force (IAF) plane on Saturday. They were sent back from the Kabulairport.
Seeking evacuation to India,this first batch of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus had been eagerly waiting outsidethe airport since yesterday.Ever since the Taliban has taken control ofAfghanistan, panic-stricken Hindus and Sikhs are trying to flee the restivecountry.
Taliban fighters stopped themfrom boarding the IAF plane and said that since they are Afghans, they must goback. The group has reportedly returned to Gurdwara Dashmesh Pita Guru GobindSingh ji Karte Parwan in Kabul.
Since the Taliban takeover, agroup of 280 Afghan Sikhs and 30-40 Hindus have taken shelter at Karte ParwanGurdwara in Kabul. They also held two meetings with Taliban representatives whoassured them of ‘peace and safety and said that they need not leave thecountry.
However, since March 25, 2020,when at least 25 Sikhs were killed after an Islamic State (IS) gunman allegedlystormed the Gurdwara Guru Har Rai Sahib in Kabul and opened fire, members ofboth minority communities have been urging the governments of India and Canada toevacuate them from Afghanistan.
Afghan Sikhs and Hindus arenationals of Afghanistan who hold passports of the war-torn country. They cometo India on Long Term Visas but the families, who are financially weak, preferto stay in that country as their sources of livelihood are mainly in the citiesof Kabul, Jalalabad and Ghazni.
Earlier this week, UnionMinister Hardeep Singh Puri said to PTI that the Indian authorities were intouch with a group of Sikhs taking shelter in a gurudwara near Kabul, and thatthey will be brought to India as soon as possible.
We have been in touch withSikh leaders and those in Afghanistan. They will be brought back safely as soonas possible," Puri told PTI. The Union minister was approached by BJP MPHans Raj Hans for help to the Sikhs.
Hans who hails from Punjabsaid that around 250 Sikhs of Indian origin are taking shelter in the gurudwaranear Kabul and they are safe. We are seeking help from external affairsminister and assured that the Indian origin Sikhs in Afghanistan will return toIndia after civilian flights resume," Hans told PTI.