Persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains will be allowed to stay in India by 2024, Union Home Ministry issued a statement:

News Topical, Digital Desk : The Union Home Ministry has said that till December 31, 2024, members of minority communities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who have come to India from neighbouring Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and have faced religious persecution in their countries will be allowed to stay in India without passports or other documents.

Minority foreign people will get relief

This significant order will bring relief to a large number of minority foreigners from three Islamic countries, including Hindus from Pakistan, who came to India after 2014 and were worried about their fate.

Minorities from other countries are also currently allowed to stay in India

It is noteworthy that according to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) of the country, which came into force last year, persecuted minorities from these three countries who came to India till 31 December 2014 will be given Indian citizenship. But now with the new decision of the Home Ministry, minorities from these countries who came after ten years have also been given exemption to stay in India.

Home Ministry issued order

According to the order issued by the Home Ministry, "A person belonging to any minority community (Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian) from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who was forced to take refuge in India due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution and is without valid documents, including passport or other travel documents, as of December 31, 2024, or with valid documents, including passport or other travel documents, and the validity of such documents has expired, will be exempted from the rule of holding a valid passport and visa.

‘Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan do not need passports’

Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan, as well as Indian citizens entering India by land or air from these two neighbouring countries, will not be required to produce passports or visas as before.

According to the Home Ministry order, members of the Navy, Army or Air Force of India entering or leaving India on duty and family members of such person, when accompanying such person on any Government transport, will also not be required to carry passport or visa.

The ministry said that "if an Indian citizen enters India by land or air through the territory of Nepal or Bhutan, or is a citizen of India entering India by land or air through the territory of Nepal or Bhutan, or if he holds a valid passport at the time of entering or exiting India from a place other than Nepal or Bhutan, but not from China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan," then the requirement of a valid passport or other valid travel documents and a valid visa for entry, stay and exit from India will not apply.

This rule will not apply to Sri Lankan Tamil citizens either

This provision also applies to Tibetans who have already entered India and are living in the country. This rule will also not apply to registered Sri Lankan Tamil citizens who had taken refuge in India till January 9, 2015.