The minority group of Sikh in Jalalabad, Afghanistan witnessed a horrifying act of bombing by terrorists of ISIS on Sunday. The bombing killed around 19 and wounded 20. The blast also damaged the buildings and shops around Mukhabarat square. This was the direct attack on the Sikh minority residing in Afghanistan and ISIS has claimed the responsibility of the attack. The effect of the bombing could have been more devastating had the city not been closed due to visit by the president of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani.
The hideous attack took place after the President inaugurated a hospital in the city. The attack was caused by a suicide bomber on the vehicle carrying the members of Sikh community who were going to meet the president. Among those killed was also the only Sikh candidate who planned to contest for October’s parliamentary elections.
The aftermath of the attack is the exodus of Sikh from Afghanistan and the Sikhs no longer feel safe in their homes in Jalalabad. The anti-muslim propaganda by the terrorists has forced the minority group of Hindus and Sikhs to take the difficult decision of either leaving Afghanistan or to convert to Islam. Presently some Sikh families are taking shelter in Indian Consulate as they feel that there can be subsequent attacks by the terrorist organizations.
“The Afghan government has recognized us a citizen of this nation but the terrorist groups are forcing us to convert to Islam or to leave Afghanistan,” said Mr. Baldev Singh who was a victim in the blast of Jalalabad. The targeted minority community holds valid citizenship of country and holds various small shops and business in and around the Jalalabad city. Given the option to leave the country and shift to some other nation like India, many families are willing to shift but some families believe that they have the equal status as any Afghan resident in Afghanistan and they have spent their life in establishing the business and household and would never leave it because of the attacks by some terrorist organization.
Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the incident and called the incident as an attack on the multi-cultured fabric of Afghanistan. India expressed its consent to issue long-term visas to the Sikh families . “they can live in India for as long as they want without any limitation. The final decision has to be made by them to move to India or to stay in Afghanistan” said Mr. Vinay Kumar who is Indian ambassador to Afghanistan.