The Sikhs who fled the war-torn nation out of fear of persecution were once again denied permission to take the holy texts of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Sanchi Sahib. The Sikh community and Indians nationwide hold great reverence for these scriptures, which have historical, cultural, religious, and archaeological value. However, the so-called Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Information and Culture have denied granting the security clearance, according to a report in the Tribune India.
The Afghan government did not work with the Indian government either. The Taliban government also asserts that the sacred texts are a part of Afghanistan’s history. Earlier last month, according to news agency WION, they blocked 60 Sikhs from transferring the Saroops to India.
Since the terrorist organisation destroyed the Bamiyan Buddha statues during their previous time in power and also because of their strict interpretation of Islam, which forbids idolatry, there is palpable concern for the protection of the sacred texts. These sacred texts, often referred to as Saroops of the Guru Granth Sahib, are revered by Sikhism adherents who view them as being comparable to a living Guru.
Vikramjit Singh Sahney, the president of the World Punjabi Organization and a member of the Punjab Rajya Sabha, welcomed 55 Afghan Sikh refugees who had taken flight from Afghanistan and arrived in New Delhi aboard Ariana Afghan aircraft number 315 late on Sunday. The Sikhs who had just come from Afghanistan added that there are 30-35 community members who had chosen to remain in Afghanistan. The repatriates said they were also victimised because of their religion. ‘ Afghanistan’s state of affairs is not very nice. I spent four months in jail’. One returnee was cited by ANI as stating, ‘Taliban had deceived us, they butchered our hair in prison’.
The government gave them electronic visas. The Taliban have urged the surviving Afghan Hindus and Sikhs to remain in the country, claiming that the gurdwaras are a part of the country’s cultural legacy, according to Sahney, an MP for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). At least 700 Afghan Sikhs were presently residing in Afghanistan as of 2020, however the Taliban took control of the country in 2021 as a result of the withdrawal of American troops. Numerous Hindus and Sikhs have travelled to India and received rehabilitation in the western region of the nation’s capital, New Delhi.
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