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New Delhi: Sitting
hunched with his face cupped in his hands, 42-year-old Shobhamal
dreads going back to Pakistan's Sindh province where he has earned
the status of a pariah and "bore the brunt of being a non-Muslim".
A group of 146 Pakistani Hindus took refuge at capital's Majnu ka
Tilla Sep 8 after crossing the Attari border Sep 4.
"I don't fear for my life but for my family. I decided to come
here as there is no place for Hindus in Pakistan. Sexual assault,
forced conversion, abduction and humiliation is all this country
(Pakistan) has given us," Shobhamal told IANS.
Shobhamal's 18-year-old son died of cancer here earlier this
month.
With their tourist visas expired some two months ago, these people
from Bagidi community are reluctant to go back to Sindh where,
they say, there is no security of their life and property.
Hindus form around seven percent of the total population of Sindh
province.
"We don't want to go back. We are outcast there. We appeal to the
government that please just give us refuge and we don't want any
citizenship," rues 45-year-old Ganga Ram.
Gang Ram has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting
extension of their visas and shelter.
They are currently living in 12 tents and share one dilapidated
toilet -- but say they don't have much complaints.
"We are happy here. Though life is tough here, it's not an ordeal
what it used be in Pakistan. There, you bear the brunt of being
non-Muslims," said Sagar, a mechanic, who was robbed of all his
tools with which he used to make his ends meet.
"They force us to convert to Islam and threaten of dire
consequences. They abduct our children and loot our property. If
we complain, nobody listens. There, even the prime minister is not
safe, let alone Hindus," says Mithalal, who is in his 50s.
When this IANS correspondent tried to speak to the women in the
community, a sense of reluctance took over. However, a few
narrated their ordeal, after much convincing.
"When our husbands are away for work, we keep our doors locked and
live in constant fear. We are not allowed to wear vermillion on
our foreheads," said Rukmini.
"We don't eat our food until our children come back as you never
know they might be kidnapped or circumcised," said a woman,
refusing to reveal her identity.
(Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at gaurav.s@ians.in)
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