You Are Not Guests, India Is Your Home: PM Modi To Sikh-Hindu Delegation From Afghanistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about the immense difficulties faced by people in Afghanistan and the help provided by Centre to bring them to India safely. 

PM Modi meets Afghanistan Sikh-Hindu Delegation, at his residence, in New Delhi on February 19, 2022. (PIB Photo)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met members of the Sikh-Hindu Delegation from Afghanistan at his residence, where he welcomed the delegation saying that they are not guests but are in their own house, adding that India is their home.

The delegation honoured and thanked him for bringing Sikhs and Hindus safely to India from Afghanistan, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stated.

According to PMO's statement, Narendra Modi welcomed the delegation at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, saying: "You are not guests but in your own house, India is your home".

The Prime Minister talked about the immense difficulties faced by people in Afghanistan and the help provided by Centre to bring them to India safely. 

Here, he also spoke about the significance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and its benefits for the community.

PM Modi assured the Sikh-Hindu Delegation that the Union government will provide continuous support in the future as well for resolving all issues and difficulties faced by them.

"Prime Minister also talked about the significance of the tradition of honouring Guru Granth Sahib, in light of which special arrangements were made to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan. He talked about the immense love that he has received from Afghans over the years and fondly recalled his visit to Kabul," the PMO mentioned. 

Taliban Kidnapped From Gurdwara, Wanted Us To Convert: Afghan Sikhs Reveal Woes Shared With PM Modi

Afghan Sikhs revealed what they discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they met him earlier in the day.

Speaking to news agency ANI, one of the delegation members, Nidan Singh Sachdeva revealed: "I was kidnapped by the Taliban from a gurudwara. They thought of us as Indian spies, wanted us to convert... We thanked PM Modi and are happy with the help of government of India. We just need shelter and nationality".

Nidan Sachdeva is informed to have come from Afghanistan's capital city Kabul last year.

Tarendra Singh, an Afghanistan resident who shifted to India in 1989, said: "We briefed PM Modi about our circumstances in Kabul. Our main problem was naturalisation, we wandered around for our citizenship. So we thanked PM Modi for bringing CAA and would like citizenship under one window".

Delegation Members Thank PM Modi For Support

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa thanked the Prime Minister for sending help from India for bringing back the community safely. According to him, the Prime Minister ensured constant support and timely help when no one stood with the community.

As per PMO, other members of the delegation also expressed gratitude towards the Prime Minister for standing up for them in times of distress.

"They said that they had tears in their eyes when they heard him talking about making special arrangements to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India with proper reverence," the PMO stated, adding that the members also thanked PM Modi for bringing CAA.

"They said that he is not just the Prime Minister of India, but the Prime Minister of the world since he understands the difficulties faced especially by Hindus and Sikhs across the world and makes all out efforts to provide immediate help in all such cases," the statement read.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State Meenakashi Lekhi were also present at the meeting.