Pakistani Hindus eligible for ‘long-term’ visa, says Indian official

Indian official says no one has applied for a long-term visa so far.


Web Desk August 16, 2012
Pakistani Hindus eligible for ‘long-term’ visa, says Indian official

Amid controversy that Pakistani Hindus who are travelling to India for pilgrimage may apply for political asylum, an Indian government official has said that the travellers are eligible for receiving “long-term” visas.

“So far, no one has applied for long-term visa. Basically, we have norms for the long-term visa. If they apply under them, they will get it,” Union Home Secretary RK Singh was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

Speaking in the Indian capital of New Delhi, he was responding to a question on the possibility of India granting long-term visas to those Pakistani Hindus who have come to the country in the last few days.

Most of the travellers have obtained a month-long visa, stating they wish to visit India for pilgrimage.

According to The Washington Post (WP) report, thousands of Pakistani Hindus who have gone to India in the past two decades have still not received Indian citizenship.

“India does not have a national refugee law; it deals with arrivals from neighbouring countries on an ad hoc basis,” the WP report stated.

COMMENTS (99)

kal raj | 11 years ago | Reply India is secular for its own people not for subcontinenet .Hindu is eligeble for all subcontinent.amd must not forget that Pakistan was created on relegion specially for muslim so /Pakistan has responsblity to take care of all muslim of indian continent.
Non Pseudo Secular Indian Liberal Hindu | 11 years ago | Reply

India should allow all Hindus/ Sikhs/ Buddhist of Pakistan and Bangladesh if they wish to come in India, because it is their right to come here. Reasons are -

a) India is a birthplace of Indian religions and should take care of people belonging to this religion. Not only Pakistani and Bangladeshis but, all people belonging to these religions from all over the globe should be eligible for Indian citizenship which are living as minority in their country and experiencing persecution/ extreme discrimination. Countries with Majority of them (good example Thailand - A Buddhist country) need not be included in such scheme simply because they are happily living in their own country.

b) Pakistan was created on the name of Islam hence Muslims should not be allowed at all. They have fought with us and have got their Land share so now we don't care for them no matter what happens to them. But we are sympathetic for Non Muslims seeking asylum in India.

c) Hindus/ Sikhs/ Buddhist from Pakistan and Bangladesh are particularly most welcome in India because they are victims of partition. Similarly if Indian Muslims/ Pakistan wants Indian Muslims to go to Pakistan they can, and we are OK (rather more than happy) if Pakistan restricts Indian Non-Muslims to come to Pakistan.

4) Be very careful while granting long term visas or Indian citizenship otherwise all India will be flooded with Muslims of p\Pakistan and Bangladesh and might become Islamic Republic soon just like Pakistan.

5) We can not afford anymore to be fooled by Anti Hindu pseudo secularists. At the same time we should be fooled by Hindu extremists also t (who are present very less in number actually.)

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