India thanks Afghanistan over safe return of 11 Sikhs & Hindus; returnees reveal suffering

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday thanked the Government of Afghanistan for facilitating the safe return of 11 people belonging to the Sikh and Hindu minority community.

Eleven members belonging to the Sikh and Hindu minority community of Afghanistan, including Nidan Singh Sachdeva (60), who was kidnapped by the Taliban last month and was released from captivity on July 18, arrived in Delhi on Sunday. Sachdeva was abducted from a gurudwara in Paktia province a month ago. The Indian Embassy in Kabul granted short-term visas to for their return.

"India has granted an appropriate visa and facilitated their travel to India. We appreciate the efforts of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in extending necessary support for the safe return of these families," the MEA said in a statement.

Approximately 700 Hindu and Sikh Afghanistan nationals have registered with Embassy of India in Kabul and are seeking immediate evacuation after the Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurudwara was attacked on March 25.

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Sufferings faced by Sikhs at Taliban's hands

Speaking on his return, an emotional Sachdeva, said he was glad to return to 'Hindustan'. Sharing his harrowing tale in captivity of the Taliban, he said, "I was abducted from the gurudwara and 20 hours later, I was covered with blood. I was tied to a tree as well. They used to beat me and ask me to convert. I repeatedly told them that why should I convert, I have my own religion," he said while describing

Nidan Singh thanked the Government of India for bringing him back his homeland. Singh said he was short of words to describe his feelings. “I arrived here after much struggle. The atmosphere of fear prevails there. Gurudwara is where we can be safe but a step outside the Gurdwara is fearful,” he added.

"They used to beat me every day and every night," he said further and added, "It is because of sheer happiness, I am speechless. I am very grateful to them."

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India extends help to minorities in Afghanistan

Ministry of External Affairs recently announced that India has decided to bring back members of Hindu and Sikh community facing security threats in Afghanistan. The decision came four months after terrorists killed at least 25 members of the community at a gurdwara in Kabul. India condemned the "targeting and persecution" of minority community members by Afghan terrorists at the behest of their external supporters.

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Afghan Sikh community leaders have often reached out to the government of India to provide accommodation to the community members from Afghanistan and grant them legal entry to India with long term residency and multiple entry visas.

Once a community of nearly 250,000 people, the Sikh and Hindu community in Afghanistan has suffered years of discrimination and violence from extremists, and the community now comprises of less than 100 families across the country.

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(With inputs from agency)

(Image credits: PTI)