3-years-old Nagrikta still awaits her citizenship

In 2019, a girl born in a refugee settlement in Majnu Ka Tilla area of Delhi was named ‘Nagrikta’ (Citizenship) by her parents. You’d wonder why? It was the day Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed which kindled new hopes in the hearts of the despondent Pakistani Hindu refugees. “That (CAA) is why we named her Nagrikta. We thought we will get citizenship, we’ll be free, we’ll be Hindustani,” said Meera, grandmother of the child.

She was also mentioned by Prime Minister Modi during a rally in Ram Leela Maidan. Emphasizing the significance of the bill for persecuted Hindu minorities, he said “A family in Majnu Ka Tila is so happy with it, they have named their daughter Nagrikta (citizenship)”. Although with the policy on hold, the dream of having a home to call their own soon ended.

Nagrikta, now 3 years, still awaits her citizenship. It was around her birth the family applied for citizenship but the hopes for getting a permanent homeland in this country are dwindling as the process seems never-ending. "The refugees can be offered citizenship even without implementing CAA. So why is the government not doing it? I will reiterate that the refugees should be at least provided with basic amenities and refugee status because they deserve that,” Ms. Krishnan, a human rights activist, told PTI while talking about the citizenship issue of the refugees.

With the recent turmoil in Pakistan, Chand Ram, a Hindu refugee, shares that problems have increased manifold for the community there. Albeit here now, they still remain worried for the family members left behind. Forcible conversions and abduction of young girls were big reasons for them to leave Pakistan. But with their own fate in hanging, doing anything for the ones back in Pakistan seems non-prudent.

In Nagrikta’s home, some members from Pakistan are coming to India. But with them still barely making ends meet, it is getting difficult to accommodate more people. People in the settlement are mostly engaged in menial jobs like selling vegetables and mobile covers. Not only do they have meager incomes, but they also have to face various hardships that make living in India not so easy.

It wasn’t up until recently that the refugees received electricity. It was on November 10, 2022, that the Delhi High Court ordered Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), the city's power distributor, to supply energy to all of the refugees' homes within a month. But while these people live in an economic crunch, no scheme of ‘200 units of free electricity’ is provided to them. While the city has postpaid meters, they get prepaid ones. Meera says “The bill comes anywhere between 1,500 to 2,000”

Despite the ordeals, there are signs of progress in the community. Many of the children from the camp attend nearby government schools. Upon walking the ‘kaccha’ road of the camp, one sees an Education Centre for the students of Class 1 to 12. Humanitarian Aid International (HAI), an NGO, does the work of giving remedial classes to the children in the camp. Ashish, a Hindu college passout, works in the center as a teacher. He exuberated pride while sharing about a student of his who passed the 12th board exams recently.

“Shree Ram is the first kid who has given 12th exams from this community and passed. He has also given CUET exams and will be the first kid to go to college. This NGO also helped in his coaching for his CUET exams. When he goes to college, we will continue to support him in further studies,” he said. Shree Ram, an 18-year-old boy, has nothing but studying on his mind. When asked about what he wants to become, he said, “I just want to study for now”.

Shree Ram is the personification of the perseverance this community shows. When we went there to take a first hand inspection of their condition, we were taken aback by their persisting love for India despite being virtually ignored for more than the past decade. Nothing has made them lose their will to find a home in this country till now but the government, which continues to ride on the Hindutva wave, shouldn’t let them be in this condition for long. Some Hindu organizations like VHP and RSS have managed to offer the people some support by becoming their guarantors.

You see a sense of belonging for this nation in the eyes of this community that had to flee Pakistan, a country that was supposed to ensure their safety. Chand Ram says “There are many nations but our body, mind, and soul wants India,” when asked about why he chose India as a safe haven. All they want from this country is acceptance. “Just take us under your shelter. We are hardworking people. We don’t ask for any financial aid,” said Meera when asked about her expectations from the government.

The Pakistani Hindu refugees have now long been a topic of discussion among political circles. However, scores of them are still unsettled in India, waiting to get recognized as Indian citizens. The G20 theme- ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which translates to "One Earth, One Family, One Future," shouldn’t just be a line. Instead, the government should use it in reality for the many Pakistani Hindu refugees that wait patiently to make this country their home.

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