The last few days have brought a new gift of happiness for those families of Uttarakhand, who had spent decades with the identity of a stranger. After the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the legal path has now been cleared for 162 refugees living in the state to connect with their roots. After a long investigation, the Union Home Ministry has given the green signal to the citizenship applications of all these people.
A long wait and a new identity
This is not just a change of papers, but a new chapter in the lives of 156 people who considered India their home for years, but were not technically its citizens. These mainly include Hindu and Sikh families from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
From the fear of Taliban to the refuge of peace
The stories of these refugees are an example of struggle and courage. According to Seema Jagran Manch member Colonel (Senior) Ajay Kothiyal, these beneficiaries include 7 Hindus and Sikhs who left their homes and came to India about 34 years ago due to the increasing atrocities of the Taliban in Afghanistan. At the same time, 149 refugees are from Pakistan, many of whose families had settled in different corners of Uttarakhand after facing the horrors of partition.
efforts met with success
The CAA, enacted in the year 2020, was made effective nationwide in March this year, after which the process gained momentum. Organizations like ‘Seema Jagran Manch’ and ‘Hindu Jagran Manch’ acted as a bridge in providing rights to these families. These organizations played an important role in collecting documents at the local level, sending them to the Home Ministry and removing technical hurdles.
hope for a secure future
The simple meaning of getting citizenship is that now these people will be able to take advantage of government schemes, buy property and most importantly, they will be able to proudly call themselves Indians without any fear or hesitation. For these families living in the border areas of Uttarakhand and the capital Dehradun, this is no less than a rebirth.
