E-Paper
CAA brings a ray of hope for these ‘refugees’
PRAYAGRAJ : Residing in a modest house in village Sarai Rajai of Kohdaur area of Pratapgarh district, around 15km north of Pratapgarh city, 62-year-old Radha Bai
PRAYAGRAJ : Residing in a modest house in village Sarai Rajai of Kohdaur area of Pratapgarh district, around 15km north of Pratapgarh city, 62-year-old Radha Bai spends her free time glued to the television sets or scanning newspapers these days.
Mother of four daughters and a son, Radha Bai has lived most of her life as a ‘refugee’ in India, residing on the basis of a long-term visa that is renewed from time to time. Her husband Parasnath Pal and son do odd jobs like driving a rented taxi etc to make a living in Mumbai while the four daughters are all married to Indian citizens and reside in Mumbai with their families.
“The Citizenship Amendment Act is invaluable for someone like me. Having come to India as a child, I have lived all my life as a ‘refugee’. Even 36 years after marriage, I and all my children are yet to get Indian citizenship. The CAA has come as a new lease of life for us and I am happy,” said Radha.
She shared that she had applied for extension of her visa on October 11, 2019 but was yet to get the extension. “I am a ‘refugee’ and so please do not refer to me as ‘illegal immigrant’. My status is known to the government,” she said.
Amidst the hullabaloo over the CAA across the country, the sub divisional magistrate, Patti, visited her. “I was scared at first. However, the officer explained that he was just here to collect my details in light of the CAA. I was relieved and am looking forward to finally and legally becoming an Indian,” she said with a smile.
Radha Bai said her grandfather Bhagauti Prasad, grandmother Devi Rani, father Hariram and mother Ramraji came to India in 1947 but were caught in Kanpur and sent back. “My grandfather died in Pakistan.
Then on January 14, 1979 my father and mother along with me and my two sisters Ishwari and Lakshmi came to India on a valid visa and settled in Pure Keshav Rai village in Pratapgarh and never returned to Karachi. Subsequently, all of us were married here,” she added.
Radha Bai’s marriage with Parasnath Pal was solemnised in 1984 and she has five kids, including four daughters and a son—all of whom are now married. “I have told the SDM who visited me that I have already applied for Indian citizenship. Hopefully this Act will now allow me to become an Indian citizen. I have lived in fear for decades as I thought I may be deported to Pakistan as an ‘illegal immigrant’ anytime my visa extension application got rejected. But now this veil of fear has been lifted,” she said.
“I met Radha Bai who is residing in Sarai Rajai as a Pakistani refugee for many years now. She seemed pretty happy with the CAA. All support would be extended to her by the administration in applying for Indian citizenship as per the new law,” said DP Singh, SDM, Patti.
Gauri Singh is yet another refugee in Pratapgarh, who is waiting to be an Indian citizen. Hailing from Bangladesh, her birth name was Gauri Chatterjee. She now lives around 15 km from the district headquarters in Lakshamiganj Bazaar area of Jethwara.
“I belonged to Chittagong in Bangladesh. In 1970, I was attending a coaching class as an 18-year-old when a terrorist attack took place. I survived, but my hand was fractured. I somehow reached Kolkata with few others and here a Good Samaritan Sant Bahadur Singh offered me shelter and food,” said 68-year-old Gauri who was reluctant to share details of her life.
On Singh’s suggestion, she came to Pratapgarh and in 1971 married Ram Bahadur Singh of Jamua Mandhata in Pratapgarh itself.
“I never heard from my father Rajesh Chatterjee and do not know his fate. I never ever returned to Bangladesh. I have heard of the CAA and am hopeful of finally being recognised as an Indian citizen after almost 50 years of staying in India and living in fear of being thrown out of the country anytime,” she added.
