India has established a cell in Afghanistan to coordinate repatriation and related matters, even as Sikh and Hindu families have sought refuge inside a gurdwara in Kabul as hundreds of thousands of people attempt to flee the country after the Taliban seized control of the capital. According to Arindam Bagchi, a spokeswoman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India will help the repatriation of Sikhs and Hindus from the war-torn country.
“#MEA has set up a Special Afghanistan Cell to coordinate repatriation and other requests from Afghanistan,” Bagchi tweeted. Bagchi also posted the contact details of the cell.
Bagchi previously stated that the situation in Afghanistan is being monitored “on a continuous basis at high levels” and that the government will take “all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan.” “A number of Afghans have also been our partners in promoting our mutual developmental, educational, and people-to-people initiatives. We will support them “he stated
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the head of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), said that people from both Sikh and Hindu communities have sought refuge at the Karte Parwan Gurdwara in Kabul. “I am in constant contact with the President of the Kabul Gurdwara Committee and Sangat, who have informed me that more than 320 people from Ghazni and Jalalabad (including 50 Hindus and more than 270 Sikhs) have sought refuge in Kabul’s Karte Parwan Gurdwara in the wake of recent developments,” Sirsa said.
“Taliban Leaders have met them and assured them of their safety. We are hopeful that Hindus and Sikhs would be able to live a safe and secure life despite political and military changes happening in Afghanistan,” he added.
The top gurdwara body, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, urged the Centre on Saturday to ensure the safety of Sikhs in Afghanistan and make plans to bring those who want to return to India back.
The Taliban’s takeover of Kabul on Sunday stunned the world and thrown Afghanistan into chaos. Afghan airspace was closed to civilian flights on Monday, and the airfield at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul was restricted to military use only. Thousands of people gathered at the airport, however, in a desperate attempt to flee the war-torn country.
