- Friday, April 19, 2024
By: Pramod Thomas
After the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act in the Indian Parliament, it is reported that an exodus of Hindu families living in Pakistan has started.
Many families living in Pakistan have already started coming to India through the Wagah border with all their belongings.
The report says that around 200 Hindu families living in Pakistan have come to India on tourist visas through Wagah border so far.
Interestingly, the families were given grand reception on Wagah border.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, was passed by the Parliament of India on December 11, 2019. It amended the Citizenship Act of 1955 by providing a path to Indian citizenship for members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian religious minorities, who had fled persecution from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before December 2014.
Media reports say that all the families living in Pakistan, who have entered India through the Wagah border, have been issued a tourist visa.
It is believed that all of them, who have entered India with their luggage on foot, after the passage of the new law, can apply for Indian citizenship.
Tourist visas are still issued to those who visit India for a fixed period to meet their relatives or other people in the country.
These people from Pakistan can likely stay in India even before their visa period and apply for citizenship.
According to people familiar with the people-movement across the border, people coming on tourist visa enter India with a suitcase or a bag.
But, very recently many families from Pakistan have entered India with their heavy baggage. Meaning they have other things in mind.
