‘In Pakistan I had to go out wearing a burqa, in India I can even study’ Happiness over citizenship due to CAA

‘Had to leave Pakistan because it was difficult to live under the shadow of fear’

While talking to NBT, Dayal Das Bagri told NBT that 3 months ago, the Home Ministry had done online registration of more than 400 refugees. Bharat Kumar, 24, said, ‘I was 13 years old when we came here. We had to leave Pakistan because it was difficult to live under the shadow of fear. The struggle of Bharat Kumar, who fled to India to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, ended on Wednesday after a long wait of 11 years. Including them, a total of 14 people were granted Indian nationality under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla presented citizenship certificates to 14 people at a special ceremony.

‘Being an Indian is a wonderful feeling, I got a new life’

Minutes after receiving citizenship, 24-year-old Bharat said that it is a great feeling to be an Indian. It has given me a new life. Bharat said his family came to India to escape religious persecution in Pakistan’s Sindh province. Bharat Kumar’s family lives in Majnu Ka Tila area of ​​Delhi and does odd jobs. He said that on Wednesday, a total of five people in his area got Indian citizenship while more than a hundred people had applied for it. We were told that the remaining applicants would also get citizenship in due course of time.

‘Getting Indian citizenship is like a dream come true’

Bharat said that getting Indian citizenship is like a ‘dream come true’ for him. Sheetal Das, who lives in Majnu Ka Tila, sells mobile phone covers for her livelihood. He said that his family of 19 people had fled from Sindh, Pakistan and came here in 2013. Three people from his family have got citizenship. Sheetal said that I am very happy. The government fulfilled our wish. Now I can live a respectable life in India.

Yashoda, who came from Pakistan, said – the future of my children is secure.

Yashoda, who came from Sindh, Pakistan, also obtained Indian citizenship. She said that she can now live a respectable life as an Indian. Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that by getting Indian citizenship, the future of his family and children will now be secure. My long wait to get Indian citizenship is now over. I am really very happy.

14 people got Indian citizenship under CAA

Under CAA, citizenship certificates were issued to 14 people on Wednesday. The CAA, which grants Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim immigrants from three neighboring countries, was implemented two months ago. The CAA was enacted in December 2019 to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. This law provides Nagakita to non-Muslim immigrants coming to India on or before December 31, 2014.

(with inputs from agency)