The Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday announced that it will grant e-visas to over 10 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan on priority. The decision by MHA came a day after an attack at Karte Parwan Gurdwara in Kabul on Saturday that resulted in the death of two persons. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the decision was taken late last night.
eanwhile, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) on Sunday claimed the responsibility for the attack and said that Abu Mohammed al Tajiki carried out the attack which lasted for three hours. In a statement issued today, the group claimed that besides submachine guns and hand grenades, four IEDs and a car bomb were also used in the attack.
The group further noted that around 50 Hindu Sikhs and Taliban members were killed in the attack and the attack was conducted as revenge for the insult of Prophet Mohammed by an Indian politician. However, only two people, including a Sikh man and a Muslim security guard, were killed and seven others were wounded in the attack.
Initial inputs suggested that an explosion took place outside the gate of the Gurdwara killing at least two people. Another explosion was later heard from inside the complex and some shops attached to the Gurdwara caught fire. The holy Guru Granth Sahib from Gurudwara in Afghanistan’s capital city Kabul was retrieved from the complex, from which plumes of smoke were seen billowing out after the attack early this morning, according to visuals posted
Religious minorities in Afghanistan, including the Sikh community, have been targets of violence since the takeover of the country by Taliban. In October, last year 15 to 20 terrorists entered a Gurdwara in the Kart-e-Parwan District of Kabul and tied up the guards.
In March 2020, a deadly attack took place at Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurudwara in Kabul’s Short Bazaar area in which 27 Sikhs were killed and several were injured. Islamic State terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack, as claimed by ISKP, came in the backdrop of derogatory comments made by ex-BJP Spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad. Meanwhile, strong action has already been taken against those who made derogatory remarks. The BJP last week suspended Nupur Sharma from the party’s primary membership and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after their alleged inflammatory remarks against minorities.
A statement was also issued by concerned quarters emphasizing respect for all religions, denouncing insult to any religious personality or demeaning any religion or sect.
