55 Sikh, Hindu refugees from Afghanistan reach Delhi, to be rehabilitated by AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney

TN National Desk

Updated Sep 26, 2022, 00:21 IST

55 Sikh Hindu refugees from Afghanistan reach Delhi to be rehabilitated by AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney

New Delhi: The last batch of Afghan Sikhs and Hindu refugees arrived in the national capital on Sunday evening by a special flight. Punjab Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney who is running the 'My family My responsibility' programme said that he would support and rehabilitate the families. 543 Afghan Sikhs and Hindu families are being rehabilitated in West Delhi under the initiative.

"I will continue to support and rehabilitate these families by providing them free houses on rent, monthly household expenditure, medical insurance and by skilling and educating the youth," Sahney who is also the International President of World Punjabi Organisation said.

"55 Hindus and Sikhs of Kabul (including men, women and children, and a few Pakistani nationals) to arrive in India today by a special flight. Thanking Government of India for providing quick visas. The way PM Narendra Modi ji’s government has supported Sikhs and Hindus of Afghanistan is unprecedented and unforgettable," added BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

The Kabul-Delhi special flight organised by Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee had landed on Sunday evening carrying 38 adults, 14 Children and three infants. MEA had granted them e-visas earlier and both governments facilitated their evacuation. The Gurudwara Committee has worked in coordination with the Indian World Forum and the Indian government to facilitate the evacuation of distressed minorities from the Islamic nation.

Earlier on August 3, at least 30 Afghan Sikhs including children and infants, had arrived in Delhi by a non-scheduled commercial flight from Kabul that was operated by Kam Air. Prior to this on July 14, a total of 21 Afghan Sikhs - including an infant - were evacuated from Kabul to New Delhi.

There were about 700 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan in 2020, but a large number of them left the country following the Taliban's takeover on August 15 last year.

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