Gujarat MP meets Shinde over citizenship for refugees

Member of Parliament (MP) from Ahmedabad (East), Harin Pathak on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to discuss issue of citizenship for Gujarati Hindu refugees from Pakistan.

There are many Gujarati Hindu refugees from Pakistan living in Gujarat for many years now, but they haven’t been granted Indian citizenship by the union government.

Pathak recalled that during his tenure as the minister of state for home affairs in 2004, the then union government had given powers to governments of Gujarat and Rajasthan for one year to grant Indian citizenship to the Pakistani Hindu refugees. Pathak said that thousands of Pakistani refugees living in Gujarat and Rajasthan were given Indian citizenship because of that decision.

He also added that even after that one year, there are many Pakistani refugees living in Gujarat who have not received Indian citizenship.

He has demanded that Gujarat government be given powers for one more year to grant Indian citizenship to these Pakistani Hindu refugees.

After meeting Pathak, union home minister, Shinde, has assured that a positive decision will be taken in this matter.