HJS invited by Home Ministry to discuss problems of Pakistani Hindu refugees

Home Ministry listens to problems faced by Pakistani refugees; HJS participates

Additional Secretary B. K. Prasad being handed over the representation
by HJS activists – Shri. Chandra Prakash and Shri. Sudhendu Talukdar

New Delhi: The additional Secretary of Home Ministry B. K. Prasad stated that the Central Government was actively examining cases of people who have come from Pakistan for getting long-term VISA and speedily processing their application for Indian citizenship. The difficulties faced in this matter would be soon sorted out. A meeting was held by the Central Home Ministry to understand the problems faced by Hindu refugees from Pakistan and it was during this meeting that the assurances were made. Many organizations handling matters related to obtaining VISA as well as Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) were invited by Home Ministry for the meeting.

Participants presented their difficulties in obtaining VISA while B K Prasad and Joint Secretary of Home Ministry, Gopalkrushnan Dwiwedi explained about the decisions taken by their Ministry to solve the VISA related problems. Ms. Sandip kaur Munjal of HJS suggested that the Central Government should lay down a policy in connection with VISA besides submitting some demands in this context.

Letter from Home Ministry addressed to HJS amongst others to discuss the problems of Pakistani Hindu Refugees in connection with long term visas and citizenship issues

Demands made by HJS   –

1. Refugees coming from Pakistan seeking shelter should be given VISA in 48 hours.

2. Minorities coming to India for religious purpose, may be extended special facilities.

3. After granting VISA, citizenship can be granted within few days. Facilities such as accommodation, reservation etc. should also be extended to them.

4. Rules and regulations should be formulated for imposing restrictions on missionaries who come to India for conversion under the guise of tourists.

5. Special judicial system should be set up to drive out infiltrators living in India.

The meeting was attended by Shri. Muralidhar Makhija, the President of ‘Chattisgarh Sindhi Sahitya Sansthan’; Shri. Sudhindu Mohan Talukdar of ‘Sara Assam Bengali Jateeya Parishad’, Sou. Sandip kaur Munjal and Shri. Chandraprakash of HJS; advocates handling VISA related issues and representatives of few other organizations.