Kabul (BNA) President Ashraf Ghani met with Afghan Hindus and Sikhs, who has returned from India to hear their demands and suggestions on Tuesday.
During the meeting, General Directorate of Administrative Office Fazal Mahmoud Fazly first provided information on food and clothing assistance to 40 returning Afghan Hindu and Sikh families and measures and coordination with relevant departments and ministries to solve their problems.
Then, Sandapal Singh Khalsa, the President Senior Adviser on Hindus and Sikhs affairs, Anarkali Honaryar, member of the Meshrano Jirga and a number of representatives of the Afghanistan National Council of Hindus and Sikhs thanked the President for his assistance to the returning families and continued their support from Republic, the peace process and Afghan national defense and security forces.
Welcoming the returning Indian Hindus and Sikhs, President Ghani said you have a high place in the glorious history of the country and I hope that you will once again bring empathy, prosperity and the development of trade in the country, you are an integral part of Afghan society.
The President instructed the administration to invest in the Baba Nanak spring medium-term contract and invest in its reconstruction, and added the Sikh burial ground in Gardez would be protected and included in the reconstruction projects.
President Ghani instructed the Minister of Justice to jointly with Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs identify all Hindu and Sikh public areas to prevent usurpation and sale.
Also, President Ghani instructed the officials of the Ministry of Education to solve the problem of the schools of Hindu and Sikh compatriots in Nangarhar and Kabul provinces within two weeks and reopen them as soon as possible and the Ministry of Higher Education to consider their average grades as before.
President Ashraf Ghani instructed that a section called the Afghan Hindu and Sikh Research Center to be established at the Kushani Research Center of the Academy of Sciences and one day be included in the national calendar as the Afghan Hindu and Sikh Cultural Day.
M.A.Ansari
