Ulhasnagar: 58 Sindhi migrants get Indian citizenship

Sindhi migrants display their certificate of naturalisation. PICS/NAVNEET BARHATE

It's been around 10-15 years since 58 Sindhis from Pakistan arrived in India and settled in Ulhasnagar. After implementation of the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), around 150 individuals decided to apply for Indian citizenship. A committee was established to follow up on the procedural matters, and their efforts yielded impressive results. At a special event, certificates were given to 58 individuals who successfully obtained Indian citizenship. The procedure for the remaining 92 is underway and they may soon get citizenship after verification.

The newly-appointed citizens shared their harrowing experiences of the persecution and pain they endured in Pakistan, which ultimately led them to flee to India. With their newfound citizenship, they will now be able to live a normal life, enjoying all the benefits that come with it, including access to education and other essential services.

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Anit Kumar, now a resident of Kalyan, was born in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1980 and came to India in December 2013 with his wife, two kids, three sisters and parents. He is happy that he is now officially an Indian citizen. Kumar said he was in the marble business in Karachi. "Days were difficult as the area we lived in had regular street crime. Dacoity, snatching and theft were common. I faced 16 incidents of snatching and my mobile phone was almost snatched 16 times. The environment for Hindus in Pakistan was not safe. When we came in 2013 the situation was different in Pakistan. Women were not safe and couldn't walk alone at night.
Business owners from the Sindhi and Hindu communities had to give in to extortion every day. We have also seen cases where people were forced to convert if they wanted to stay there. We felt safe after coming to India and this has been our home for 11 years," Kumar said.

‘Grateful for citizenship'

Kumar applied for citizenship after coming to India. Recently, his wife and the rest of his family were granted citizenship under the CAA, while his kids' applications are being processed. "We thank the government," he added. Another immigrant, Prakash Dewani who worked as an assistant manager with a finance company in Karachi, moved to India in 2008 with his wife and son, while his wife gave birth to a daughter here.

Prakash Dewani (right) Anit Kumar, naturalised citizens

"The discrimination in Pakistan forced us to leave. We faced discrimination in everything. If there was an India-Pakistan match that Pakistan lost, colleagues would taunt us saying ‘you will be happy now'. Another common thing was Hindu girls getting kidnapped. Later, a confirmation certificate of conversion was made and the girls were produced in court where the judge allowed them to stay away from their parents as they were willing to convert. They were then made to marry a Muslim. So, we came to India and feel safe here. There is a sense of brotherhood and people from different religions with different mother tongues live a happy life together. Now that the government has granted us citizenship, I suggested to my relatives that they, too, move here for a better life. I thank the government," said Dewani.

Dilip Hundalani decided to move to India with his family in 2010. He says, "Hindus living in Pakistan had constant problems. We are thankful to the central government, which gave Indian citizenship to victims like us."

Efforts paid fruit

The citizenship was awarded thanks to the efforts of Bharatiya Sindhu Sabha. According to the organisation, of the 150 people who have been waiting for citizenship for the last 10-15 years, 58 have become Indian citizens in just three months due to the new CAA. The rest, too, hope to get Indian citizenship soon.

Aziz Shaikh, the municipal commissioner of Ulhasnagar who attended the event said, "We welcome all the citizens in Ulhasnagar who got the certificate of naturalisation. They were facilitated by us and welcomed. There was also a programme organised where they spoke of the problems they faced and the situation in Pakistan when they left."

Mahesh Sukhramani, former BJP corporator and president of the Maharashtra Sindhi Sahitya Academy, under whose initiative the felicitation took place, said, "After the CAA was implemented, an office was started under the guidance of the Bharatiya Sindhu Sabha in Ulhasnagar only to help Sindhi brothers who came from Pakistan get their citizenship. Almost three months ago, we started campaigning and creating awareness. After much effort, we received documentation of around 150 individuals."

Lengthy process

According to Sukhramani, the process is lengthy. "We first updated their details online. This goes for police verification, where they check for criminal records. After getting an NOC from the police, they are given a clearance certificate by the Thane collector's office. Their application is then sent to Delhi, where the final approval is given and they get a certificate of naturalisation. The certificate has details including their picture, residential address, parents' names and family details, and other minute details."

Sukhramani said that the procedure for the remaining 92 individuals is underway and soon they too will get the certificate. "Meanwhile, the 58 citizens will apply for Indian documents like Aadhar card and get all the benefits that citizens enjoy," he added. A ‘Vibhajan Vibhashika Smriti Diwas' was jointly organised by the National Sindhi Bhasha Vikas Parishad, Maharashtra Sindhi Shahitya Academy, Sindhi Kalakar Sangam and Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation in the backdrop of Independence Day.