E-Paper
CPI minister seeks refugee status for all Afghans seeking relocation to India
The CPI parliamentarian urged the Centre to grant visa extension to all citizens of Afghanistan residing in India at the moment.
A Communist Party of India parliamentarian urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant refugee to Afghans who would seek asylum to India, irrespective of their religion, in the wake of the evolving situation after the Taliban laid siege to the country.
"In light of India's international position and role in South Asia, it is imperative that we allow refugees regardless of their religion. I request the Centre to extend refugee status to all Afghan citizens who wish to relocate to India because of the resurgence of the Taliban," Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam wrote in his letter to Modi, as he called the situation in Afghanistan a “humanitarian and security crisis”, according to news agency PTI.
Viswam called upon the government to ensure the safe return of all Indian citizens stranded in Afghanistan. “Given the volatility of the situation, we must closely assess the on-ground conditions and escort these individuals out of Afghanistan as soon as there is a window of opportunity,” he wrote.
The spokesperson for the Union ministry of external affairs, Arindam Bagchi, had on Monday said India would facilitate the repatriation of Sikhs and Hindus who wished to leave Afghanistan.
India also activated a unit to coordinate repatriation and related matters in Afghanistan over reports of several and Hindu families taking refuge inside a gurdwara in Kabul.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the top gurdwara body, on Saturday urged the Centre to ensure the safety of Sikhs living in Afghanistan and make arrangements to bring back those who want to come to India.
The CPI parliamentarian urged the Centre to grant visa extension to Afghan citizens residing in India at the moment.
"I would particularly like to stress this point for all Afghan students currently studying in various Indian institutions. These students are in a vulnerable and helpless situation, and we must offer a safe haven to them," Viswam wrote.
The ministry of external affairs announced to introduce a special ‘e-Emergency X-Misc Visa' for Afghans for six months, initially. However, the new category of the visa covers Afghan citizens, irrespective of their religion, who want to visit India temporarily to escape the volatile situation there.
The Centre said the special online visa had nothing to do with the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which seeks to fast-track Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minority communities in the Muslim-majority nations of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
The Indian government is mulling to grant refuge to Afghan citizens, especially those facing threats or fearing persecution from the Taliban, against the backdrop of the rapid deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan.
"Civilian life is of utmost importance and the Indian government must do everything in its capacity to protect the innocent who are victims in this conflict. On grounds of humanity and secularity, I humbly request the Indian government to consider a responsible and inclusive strategy to extend support to the innocent citizens of Afghanistan," he further wrote.
India on Tuesday is brought back home its ambassador, Rudendra Tandon, and staff at the embassy in Kabul in a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
