Pune: “Before migrating to India, we did not have the right to vote and discuss politics,” said Sangeeta Talreja who had migrated from Pakistan 20 years ago in Pune.
Like Talreja, 22 others who migrated to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were awarded Indian citizenship on Tuesday at the District Collector’s office in the city.
Balasaheb Runwal, President of Mere Apne NGO facilitated with the administration. “On Tuesday, 22 people from the Sindhi community staying in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad who had migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan several years back were awarded Indian citizenship. More than 500 such people from the city are still to be given citizenship,” he said.
Dr Jayashree Katare, Resident Deputy Collector, said, “This year, we have given Indian citizenship to 50 people from the Sindhi community. Indian citizenship is awarded only after the person completes seven years of stay in the country. Citizenship is given only after acquiring the clearance of Intelligence Bureau (IB). These people have been staying in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad from the last 30 years. The remaining people will also be given citizenship soon.”
Meena Punjwani (36), who was born and brought up in Karachi, said, “I migrated to Pune 13 years ago and the biggest problem was that I was not able to travel to any other country. Since my migration, I have lived here on Long term Visa (LTV) and I have had to renew LTV every two years. Now, I am happy to get Indian citizenship and I can travel anywhere.”
Mahesh Kumar (40), another person from the community born and brought up in Pakistan, said, “In 2006, I shifted to Pune and I felt really happy to migrate to India as there is no safe environment in Pakistan for girls, no security and the educational facilities are not up to the mark.”
Deepika (13) and Aryan Jeshwani (11) who were born and brought up in Pakistan, migrated when they were still young. Deepika said that they did not face discrimination from their school friends for not being Indian.
