As the Delhi Assembly elections approach, over 300 Pakistani Hindus who recently received Indian citizenship are eagerly awaiting their voter IDs. Among them is Radha, who fled Pakistan with her family at the age of four. Now a newly minted Indian citizen, she is preparing to cast her first vote, viewing it as a significant milestone in her journey toward a free life in India.
We recently applied for voter IDs
“I got my citizenship certificate earlier this year. We recently applied for voter IDs. This would be the first time I would cast a vote like a true Indian. I hope whichever government comes to power lets us stay here and supports us,” Radha expressed.
According to ANI, these individuals received Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) of 2019, which granted citizenship to this group in May of this year. Many of them have been living in India for years but remained nameless and stateless until now.
Dharamvir Solanki, the pradhan (head) of the settlement where these families reside, noted that the camp is home to 217 families, totaling about 1,000 individuals. “Of these, 300 people have applied for voter IDs. We also have Aadhaar cards and are hoping to get ration cards soon,” said Solanki, who arrived in Delhi in 2013 along with several other Hindu families from Sindh, Pakistan, on religious visas.
When asked about the key challenges facing the local refugees, Radha highlighted unemployment as a pressing issue. “Yes, a lot of people are unemployed here. We feel there should be more job opportunities for us,” she said.
Most women in the community are housewives, while the men work as daily wagers or run small kiosks selling phone accessories. Elders in the group are hopeful that their new citizenship will unlock opportunities for stable jobs and farming prospects.
“Back in Pakistan, we were farmers. We ran from there to escape persecution. Here we are happy but lack land for farming. If the government could give us land on lease along the Yamuna, we could grow anything and provide for our families,” said 50-year-old Puran, who arrived in Delhi in 2013.
Puran, who has two wives and 21 children, has married off 20 of them and wishes to secure land for farming. “My children keep asking me to buy land so they can start farming, but we don’t have enough money. I hope the government helps us by giving us land on lease,” he added.
Many of these families, who arrived in India from Pakistan years ago, are now seeking the stability and opportunities that come with their newfound citizenship as they prepare to participate in the democratic process.
