Two newborns were among the “last batch” of 55 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who landed in Delhi Sunday evening, sources said.
As on date, 43 Hindus and Sikhs remain in Afghanistan and nine e-visa applications are still pending for issuance with the Centre, a statement said.
AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had earlier granted e-visas to the latest batch of Afghan minorities, and their repatriation was facilitated by both Indian and Afghanistan governments.
A special aircraft had been arranged by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar, to bring 38 adults and 17 children, including three infants, he earlier said in a statement.
“With the grace of god, the last batch of 55 Sikhs and Hindu refugees from #Afghanistan landed in New Delhi safely Thanks to @MEAIndia for issuing E visas & facilitating evacuation. We will rehabilitate them under our programme #MyFamilyMyResponsibilty. Also Thanks to @SGPCAmritsar,” Sahney said in a tweet.
With the grace of god, the last batch of 55 Sikhs and Hindu refugees from #Afghanistan landed in New Delhi safely Thanks to @MEAIndia for issuing E vizas & facilitating evacuation.We will rehablitate them under our programme#MyFamilyMyResponsibilty
Also Thanks to @SGPCAmritsar pic.twitter.com/ytjec1IhVE— Vikramjit Singh MP (@vikramsahney) September 25, 2022
Sahney, who is also chairman of the Sun Foundation and president of the World Punjabi Organisation, earlier said, “We are in continuous touch with the Ministry of External Affairs for the evacuation of this last batch which is stranded there.
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“We have been coordinating the repatriation and rehabilitation of the Afghan refugees and will continue to support these families by providing them free housing, giving them monthly household expenses, providing them skills, medical insurance and educating their youth,” he noted.
He had also said that under his organisation’s ”My Family, My Responsibility” programme, 543 Afghan Sikhs and Hindu families have already been rehabilitated in west Delhi.
A congregation was held at the Arjun Nagar gurdwara in West Delhi in the evening to welcome the refugees, the AAP MP said.
(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)