They stay in outskirts of Delhi in dingy ‘illegal’ huts on the banks of Yamuna river as non-citizens without any official identity for years till they can escape to a slightly better place. They are spread out in nearly 100 villages around Jaisalmer and other places in Rajasthan, they exist in Gujarat in Kutch, Rajkot, Ahmedabad etc. The number of these unfortunate unseen Hindus who escaped the Islamic Jihadi state of Pakistan may be around 2-3 lakhs. If the visa regime was to be relaxed we may find lakhs of Hindus trekking to Bharat to save their dharma, honour of their women and live a respectable terror free life.
Some voluntary organisations are doing whatever they can within the parameters of law as these ‘unseen’ brethren of ours are technically ‘Pakistanis on visitor visa’. However, there is lack of government support in almost all the places, heartless bureaucracy and police force that makes it difficult to use even the available laws effectively. A kidnapped Hindu girl who was rescued by a brother in Sindh after months of struggle has been denied visa twice by our Indian embassy in Pakistan. She and her brother change houses every 2-3 months to avoid detection by jihadis for whom she is now a converted Muslim and must be ‘returned’ to them. But, for some strange reasons the Indian babus in Pakistan see no urgency or validity of her case.
Hindus end up in worse poverty here than what they were suffering in Pakistan but, as a refugee told me, still ‘sleep peacefully’ at night in tattered huts knowing their daughters are safe. They could have easily converted to Islam but they did not. Leftists and fashionable secularists would say, why not? Wasn’t it an easier option? What is religion after all? Opium of the masses? But the sturdy followers of dharma whose ancestors did not bow to Islamists; dharma is their life. Most of these refugees come from most backward of the so-called backward castes. There is no sadhu or priest to brainwash them to stay Hindus, it is their own ages old sturdy faith that makes them hold on. Their only mistake or misfortune was that they did not migrate to Bharat assured of their safety in the light of Nehru-Liaqat pact. A pact that was dead before it was born.
I have visited Delhi Yamuna bank settlements of Hindu refugees a couple of times visiting three different camps. Last month I visited Jaisalmer where Kiran Chukkapalli, a young Himalayan yogi is doing sterling work for these hapless unseen and unheard Hindus. Before he launched the project for the refugees, he had worked in tribal belt of Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand. He travelled 13000 km on motor bike to understand the refugee issue and their problems in different parts of Bharat from Southern tip of Bharat to the north, east and west. His NGO, Thinkpeace Organisation, is supporting around 27 settlements there and has 80+ settlement in different in different locations. He is also working for Bru tribals in Arunachal Pradesh who have been forced out of their own state, Mizoram, because they refused to convert to Christianity. (Visit Think Peace | Think peace Organization for more details)
However, this note is not to appreciate his work. This note is a cry from the heart for our unfortunate brethren who are suffering due to Islamist regime in Pakistan and indifferent state and central governments. How do we treat them when they land up in Bharat? Heartlessly, with contempt, and callousness. Only at the border do our security force jawans receive them with warmth and make them feel safe and secure. After that it is a life of years of struggle to lead a decent life.
The Passage to Bharat
It is not a walk on the garden path to reach Bharat. They prepare for their escape with utter secrecy as any leakage of information can lead to more persecution, loot and violence from jihadis. After getting visas, the family splits in different directions with a plan to meet at some spot in Bharat at a certain date. Sometimes the reunion is easy, sometimes they meet after a very long gap as not all of them have mobiles, nor the money. The escapees of persecution are generally looted on way to Attari border on the Pakistani immigration offices. By the time they enter Bharat, 73% of the average family of six are left with approximately 4200/- INR. Then on the struggle starts. They have to take care of their expenses, food and minimal housing made of straws, twigs, tarpaulin etc at some place where their relatives already on this side may have asked them to reach. This could be in the deserts of Jaisalmer or transit camps of Delhi. Biggest settlements are in Jaisalmer.
Some voluntary organisations provide materials for basic initial roof over the head as well as water storage facility. All these people are allowed to do only labour work. In Delhi, they may be provided with a cart to sell mobile covers or chaat carts etc. by the local voluntary organisation. If you care to visit their ‘homes’ in Delhi, you will find that they first build a room for their temple with images of their Gods even before they construct a roof over their heads. This is the depth of their faith; they live it. There are some schools in Delhi east that allow the children to study in their schools though they still don’t have Aadhar Cards. Most schools in Rajasthan and Gujarat demand Aadhar card, which can be made only after 182 days of stay in Bharat. For extension of Visa too they need local clearance. For this they need police clearance on a valid Pakistani passport. For this the heartlessness of corrupt officials is experienced by them. In case, the passport expires, the entire family has to go to Delhi for renewal of passports, incurring a cost of 8000-10000 INR. And Pakistani authorities deliberately extend validity for only a year or so. It is a vicious circle.
Trial by Fire
Without Aadhar card, they cannot use any government facility, whether school or hospital. Private hospitals charge a bomb if anyone unfortunately falls sick or has an accident. I met a family where the teenage son met a horrific accident. They have spent four lakh rupees already and he is still on bed. They can’t have medical insurance or any other state benefit. Their settlements don’t have power, or water as they don’t exist on records. Solar lights and water storage facilities and water tankers are provided by organisations like Thinkpeace. In Jaisalmer, there is big new source of water as underground channel at about 400-500 feet of erstwhile Saraswati river has been discovered. This has seen huge shift to farming in this area. But these ‘outsiders’ from ’low castes’ cannot dig boring wells because in most cases the neighbouring village does not allow them!
Citizenship is available after eleven years. However, even after eleven years it is possible that you may not get citizenship easily. I met only one Hindu refugee in two days who has got citizenship. For them to stay in a village or settlement or get Aadhar card, they need a local guarantor, which is not easy. Who will risk his/her reputation for an unknown refugee and get harassed by local police or babu?
This is just a bare description of the life of our brethren from across the border. I could write more pathos. But that does not help the cause. It needs more than tears to move Indian authorities at the centre and state.
Possible Solutions
During the 1947 partition, Pakistan had 22% Hindu Population, which has dwindled to less than 1.5% in the last decade. They have been either converted through violence and persecution, or killed or forced out of Pakistan.
World over there is a system of providing Refugee Card to the persecuted displaced persons. With Refugee Card, these people can apply for migration to any other country like the Muslims of Middle Eastern countries or Sri Lankans do; and settle anywhere in the world. Bhutanese Hindu refugees who were thrown out of Bhutan could end up in USA as they were given Refugee Card. We in Bharat do not have this process as a rule. How does a refugee eke out a living or send his children to school Government without a Bharatiya identity card? Government can arrange legal transit camps for these people for six months and provide a minimal support of ration for these displaced persons for just three months. Within these six months, these sturdy people can stand on their feet as the experience so far shows us. These six months are most crucial for a family that is dispossessed, some having lost their daughters or sisters or sons too to Jihadis. They need a touch of love and humane treatment.
A Pakistani Hindu Refugee Rehabilitation Policy is necessary to address the lack of a comprehensive refugee rehabilitation process in India, which has resulted in a fragmented and inconsistent approach to handling refugee issues.
New CAA rules may be declared any day. But all they do is allow a refugee escaping religious persecution to get citizenship in five years instead of 11 years. Question is, how does a person or family live for 5 years in squalor? Do these persecuted minorities not have the basic human right of a decent dwelling and basic rights like right to education and easy access to health facilities? Why can’t their move to any other country be facilitated by us? These are the questions that have easy answers if dealt with clarity, or they can be bundled into confusing verbiage.
Despite facing unimaginable hardships, Hindu refugees have shown incredible strength,resilience and unwavering faith in Dharma. They deserve nothing less than a life of dignity, security, free from fear and discrimination on Human rights ground, as Kiran Chukkapalli puts it. They need rehabilitation, re-integration and resettlement. This government is highly sympathetic and sensitive to the plight of these victims of worst kind of religious persecution. I hope it takes some simple steps to make their lives a little comfortable and transition easier.
