Guj: Amid protests, Hindus from Pak get citizenship

Even as protests continue against the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country, a Gujarat Lok Sabha MP on Saturday handed out citizenship certificates to three members of a Hindu family who came to India from Pakistan seeking refuge over a decade ago.

Rajkot Lok Sabha MP Mohan Kundariya handed out the certificates to Harsinh Sodha, Sarupsinh Sodha and Parbatsinh Sodha, who came to India in 2007, at a function held in Vavdi village in Morbi.

Kundariya said a thousand such Hindu refugees who are residing in Morbi would soon get citizenship, thanks to the CAA passed by the Narendra Modi government.

"There are over a thousand such persons from Pakistan who are residing in Morbi. Due to the new law (CAA), they will eventually get citizenship. Today, three of a family were handed out certificates under rules framed by the Union and state governments," he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Harsinh Sodha, said it was a very happy day for him and thanked the Union government.

"We had come to India from Pakistan in 2007. Today we have become Indian citizens. It is a very proud and happy day for us. We are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and (Union Home Minister) Amit Shahji for this," he said.

He added the CAA was a "matter of great relief and assurance for Hindus from neighbouring countries who have fled to India".

According to CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants, and be given Indian citizenship.