Author: Vimal Bhatia
Publication: The Times of India
Date: September 10, 2009
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Fearing-Taliban-Pak-Hindus-take-Thar-Express-to-India/articleshow/4992774.cms
In the past four years, some 5,000 Hindus
may have crossed over from Pakistan, never to return. It has not been easy
abandoning their homes, sometimes even their families, but they say they had
no choice: they had to flee the Taliban.
It started as a trickle in 2006, the year
the Thar Express was flagged off. The weekly train starts from Karachi, enters
India at Munabao, a border town in Barmer, and runs up to Jodhpur. In the
first year, 392 Hindus crossed over.
This grew to 880 in 2007. The next year, the
number was 1,240, and this year, till August, over 1,000 have crossed over.
They just keep extending their visas and hope to become Indian citizens.
Incidentally, these are official figures.
Sources say there are many more who cross over and melt in the local milieu.
And officials have a soft corner for these people, most of whom have harrowing
stories to tell.
Ranaram, who used to live in the Rahimyar
district of Pakistan's Punjab, says he fell prey to the Taliban. His wife
was kidnapped, raped and forcibly converted to Islam. His two daughters were
also forcibly converted. Ranaram, too, had to accept Islam for fear of his
life. He thought it best to flee with his two daughters; his wife was untraceable.
Dungaram, another migrant, says atrocities
against Hindus in Pakistan have increased in the past two years after the
ouster of Musharraf. "We won't get permanent jobs unless we convert to
Islam."
Hindu Singh Sodha, president of Seemant Lok
Sangathan, a group working for the refugees in Barmer and Jaisalmer, says
there's unfortunately no proper refugee policy in India even though people
from Pakistan reach here in large numbers.
He said in 2004-05, over 135 families were
given Indian citizenship but the rest are still living illegally in the country
and are often tortured by police because they don't have proper citizenship
certificates. "In December 2008, over 200 Hindus were converted to Islam
in Mirpur Khas town of Pakistan. But there are several others who want to
stick to their religion but there's no safety for them in Pakistan."
Immigration officer at Munabao railway station,
Hetudan Charan, says the arrival of Hindu migrants had suddenly increased
as over 15 to 16 families were reaching India every week. "None of them
admit they are to settle here but seeing their baggage, we easily understand,''
he said.
Ravi Kumar, who was Barmer collector till
his transfer two days back, said the government in 2007 had given permanent
citizenship to a few Pakistani immigrants.
