Govt grants visas to 111 Afghan Sikhs & Hindus after Kabul Gurdwara attack
New Delhi, June 20 : Following yesterday’s terrorist attack on the Karte Parwan gurdwara in Kabul in which one Afghan Sikh devotee was killed, the Indian government has granted visas to 111 Sikhs and Hindus of Afghanistan on priority. The Islamic State Khorasan has claimed responsibility for the attack on the gurdwara.
Senior Sikh leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa in a tweet thanked Home Minister Amit Shah for granting the visas to the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus.
He posted a video message on twitter expressing his gratitude.
“Thanking @AmitShah Ji for e-Visa to 111 Sikhs & Hindus of Afghanistan in an express manner. Thankful to @MEAIndia also for addressing this issue on priority.
All who went to Afghanistan from India to apply for their evisa so that their application gets processed.”
The decision to grant the visas on priority was reportedly taken on Saturday night in the wake of the attack on the Karte Parwan Gurdwara by the Islamic State Khoran terror group. One Taliban security personnel was also killed in the bomb and gunfire attack yesterday, while seven other people were injured. The Gurdwara has been left very badly damaged.
Meanwhile, in Kabul a delegation of the Taliban Ministry of Interior met with members of the Afghan Sikh and Hindu community in a gesture of solidarity after the attack on the Gurdwara in the Karta-e-Parwan area of Kabul city, the ministry said.
The Islamic State – Khorasan Province has claimed responsibility for the deadly terror attack on the gurdwara, calling it “an act of support” for the Prophet.
ISKP celebratory messages on their internal platforms suggest that the attack on the Gurdwara was carried out by the group to avenge the recent controversial remarks by two now suspended functionaries of the BJP.
Amaq news agency claims an ISKP suicide bomber Abu Muhammad Tajiki carried out Saturday’s attack in Kabul and claimed that it killed and injured “30” Hindu and Sikh worshipers and “20” Taliban fighters. It claims the attack lasted three hours and involved 4 IEDs and a VBIED.
The Afghan Sikh devotee who was killed was named Swindar Singh, 60. He was a native of Ghazni province. His family was living in Delhi.