Madhya Pradesh government handed over the Indian citizenship certificates to 28 people displaced from Sindh province of Pakistan. This is in addition to 487 people who were already granted citizenship during last few years in Bhopal district.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave away the certificates to 28 people at his residence on Friday after their cases were cleared by the district administration of Bhopal and Union home ministry. Most of these people were living in India on long term visas.
According to local MLA Rameshwar Sharma, “There are over 250 cases of citizenship pending in Bhopal which will be soon sorted out. The oppressed people of Sindhi community from Pakistan have already applied for Indian citizenship’’.
Thousands of Hindu Sindhi families have migrated to India particularly to Madhya Pradesh over the years from Pakistan. These families come on visitor's visa to meet their relatives who settled here after the partition. Most of the Pakistani visitors do not wish to go back and illegally stay here.
Since the BJP government came to power at the Centre in 2014, it has expressed liberal attitude towards such Pakistani nationals who come from Sindhi families. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had recently given away similar citizenship certificates to 52 Sindhi families in Lucknow.
Chouhan, while handing over these certificates, asked the settlers to observe the rules of the new country which they are now a part of. He said from now onwards, this country and the city belonged to them. He said, “If citizens evolving from the civilization developed along the Sindhu river have to leave their roots for some reason and have come to our country, then this country belongs to them and they are welcome here.”
Those who were granted citizenship are: Geeta-Pritam Das, Kavita Bai-Bhag Singh, Murli Lal-Chamanlal Chabria, Narendra Kumar-Pitamber Das, Jaipal-Pitamber Das, Baby Bai-Sitaldas, Sitaldas-Rajhomal, Sawan Das, Hashmatmal, Tulsibai, Sawandas, Rajkumar-Rajhomal, chandrabhan-Rajhomal, Gulibai-Rajhomal, Anita Bai-Rajhomal, Chandribai- Rajhomal, Devi Bai-Brijlal, Sharmila Bai- Ramesh Lal, Mahendra Kumar-Pitamber Das, Harish Kumar Kukreja-Chandrabhan, Darpanlal-Bhagwandas, Rameshlal-Bacharam, Papibai-Ramesh Lal, Santosh Kumar-Sumermal, Mukesh Kumar-Sumerlmal, Rita Rani-Hansraj, Pavan Kumar-Sudhamchand, Shardi Bai-Pavan Kumar, Sunita Bai-Sunil Kumar and Krishna-Murlilal Chabria.