Afghan Sikhs recount how they became ‘Kafir’ where they were born

New Delhi: In an emotional testimony, a 62-year-old woman who is a victim of religious persecution in Talibanruled Afghanistan narrated the ordeal of being called ‘Kafir’ after living in Afghanistan for three generations. On Wednesday, a total of 28 more Sikhs including women, children and infants, arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport from Kabul.

A non-scheduled commercial flight from Kabul, operated by Kam Air arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The entire group will be leaving for Gurdwara Sri Guru Arjan Dev in Tilak Nagar of the national capital, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) said. Surjeet Kaur, who has arrived along with her threeyear-old granddaughter and other family members said that it has become difficult to survive in Kabul where they have lived there for three generations.
 

Whatever be the situation in Afghanistan but Sikhs were never targeted. We have lived here peacefully for generations but things have worsened after the Taliban took over. I thank the Indian government and Sikh people in India for rescuing them,” she said. Religious minorities in Afghanistan, including the Sikh community, have been a victim of repeated targets of violence in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country. “Situation was bad, what to say. We left everything there, we don’t want to get killed there,” said Harbans Kaur and Jagtar Kaur. All Sikh people who arrived at the airport told that for the last one year they were staying in Gurudwara because it is unsafe to live outside but on June 18 Taliban attacked Gurdwara Dashmesh Pita Guru Gobind Singh Karte Parwan in Kabul. Mahender Singh, who was in the business of herbs in Kabul, said that situation is very bad in Afghanistan. He is thankful to the government and his Sikh brothers for bringing them back to India where he can live safely