For hundreds of Pakistani nationals who migrated to India in search of a better life, 60-year-old Nahar Singh has come as a saviour. Singh has given shelter to around 625 Pakistani Hindus in his two-storey residence at Bijwasan in the national Capital. Singh accommodated the victims from across Pakistan in his house, which used to bring him Rs70,000 per month from rent.
Singh is Superintendent of Central Excise and Customs at Delhi airport, and he is due to retire after two years. But the plight of these ‘innocent’ people touched him so hard that he resolved to lend them a helping hand. “I first saw these refugees on November 30, 2011 near Majnu Ka Tila where they were staying in a makeshift camp. Hearing their stories, I was deeply moved; and at that time I helped them by giving around 1,000 notebooks to children,” he said. There were 145 people from Hyderabad, Sindh, in that camp who were looked after by various organisations, he added.
“The Hindus are brutally treated in Pakistan. The Muslims there do not show mercy even on women and children. There is no law or police, where they can go and complain,” Singh sighed.
He admitted that he was confused about how to help the migrants, but added that he was committed and so he decided to adopt them. In an attempt to accommodate 145 Pakistani Hindus, Singh asked his tenants to vacate his residence.
After residing at Singh’s house for around six months, they passed on Singh’s contacts to fellow Hindus in Pakistan who were desperate to cross over to India. Subsequently, in March this year, a group of another 480 migrants arrived in the national Capital by the Thar Express. All of them settled in Singh’s building. Singh says, there are others who are certain to follow, because attacks on religious minorities are unabated in Pakistan.
Talking about their visas which are about to expire, Singh said, “We have appealed for the extension of their visas. Copies of the application have been given to the Foreign Regional Registration Office, the Delhi High Court and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Quite a few, who came early in March, have already got their visas extended by a month.” Interestingly, all of them have cited the Maha Kumbh mela as their reason to visit India, while none of them ever visited the religious event once. On enquiring about the funds which take care of the migrants, Singh said “Initially, I bore all the expenses. But now several organisations have come forward to help us. Food, medicines, soaps and various other materials are being provided by them.”
Getting inspired by the act of Nahar Singh, several others have come forward to help for a ‘just’ cause. “I am ready to donate 25 per cent of my salary to these people. I also want to adopt two children from here,” said an excited Sudhanshu Kaushik, an unmarried 30-year-old man.
The Hindu refugees living in his residence are all praises for Nahar Singh. “He is God for us. He has done so much for us — right from food to clothes to giving us a place to stay. Very few people do that. God will bless him,” said Guria, a 25-year-old refugee.
Commenting on the future of these people, Singh said, “I do not think their fate will be any different from the 145 immigrants who had come previously. The Indian Government neither gave them nationality, nor did it ask them to leave Pakistan. They are citizens of nowhere.”