Refugees for years: 45 Hindus from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan granted Indian citizenship in Pune

The Indian nationality certificates of these 45 Hindus has been signed by Naval Kishore Ram, Pune district collector

The government of India has granted Indian citizenship to 45 Hindus hailing from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who had migrated to Pune years ago.

Sindhis from Pakistan pose with their certificates of Indian citizenship at the collector’s office on Thursday. (Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

The citizenship has been granted only after the government conducted stringent security checks regarding their credentials, legal documents and the necessary paperwork by Pune district collectorate.

The Indian nationality certificates of these 45 Hindus has been signed by Naval Kishore Ram, Pune district collector on Thursday. He said, “After the completion of documents by the government, I have signed on the Indian nationality certificate. These people were minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and had already applied for the Indian citizenship. The amended act of 2016 says minorities from Pakistan are eligible for Indian citizenship.We have obtained the necessary security clearances, sworn in the undertaken affidavits and stringent scrutiny has been done. They are all happy to become Indian nationals.”

According to district collectorate officials, a total of 65 applications were up for consideration of Hindu minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The 45 people who were given Indian citizenship have been staying in Pune under Long-Term Visa (LTV)

During a special camp organised by the home ministry in Pune, last year, the Pakistani Hindu youths had said that despite being well qualified, the private firms in the city were averse in hiring them as they believed that they would land into security risk by hiring Pakistanis.