Sri Guru Granth Sahib, 46 Indian passport holders to arrive India today
Darpan News Desk IANS, 23 Aug, 2021 11:51 AM
Three Sri Guru Granth Sahib and 46 Afghan Hindus & Sikhs with Indian passport holders are expected to arrive India on Monday amid growing tension in Afghanistan.
The source has confirmed that the stranded Indian nationals and 46 Afghan Hindus & Sikhs, with 3 Sri Guru Granth Sahib, are currently inside the Hamid Karzai International Airport at Kabul and will reach India by Monday night. They are being escorted to the Indian Air Force aircraft.
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management committee and SAD leader Manjinder S. Sirsa said, "3 Sri Guru Granth Sahib and 46 Indian passport holders will arrive in India today. We thank GoI & PM Modi for helping Hindus-Sikhs in Afghanistan. We're in touch with minorities in Kabul who wish to be evacuated."
In a seperate development, one more private plane carrying Indian nationals landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Monday morning. However, out of a total of 30 persons who have been evacuated from Kabul via Qatar, two have tested positive for Covid-19. "Two persons out of 146 people who have returned to India from Afghanistan today have tested positive for Covid-19", said Rajinder Kumar, Nodal Officer (Delhi govt) for Covid testing of Afghanistan returnees.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the government is committed to the safe return of all Indian nationals from Afghanistan. Prime Minister Modi has asked the foreign ministry to brief floor leaders of political parties on developments in Afghanistan.
India is evacuating stranded Indian Citizens from Afghanistan and has been allowed two flights per day from Kabul.
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar tweeted, "In view of developments in Afghanistan, PM Modi has instructed that MEA brief Floor Leaders of political parties. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi will be intimating further details."
India on Sunday evacuated 168 passengers including 107 Indian nationals through Indian Air Force's C-17 aircraft which landed at the Hindan IAF base in Ghaziabad.
In the wake of the Taliban taking full control in Afghanistan, experts have cautioned the Indian security agencies to increase vigil on the international border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.
Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall activity is also very likely over Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Vidarbha during the next five days.
Almost a year after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case in connection with the blast at a Kabul gurdwara in which 27 people, including an Indian Sikh was killed, a team of anti-terror probe agency was yet to visit the country, and now with the Taliban takeover, this has been "delayed indefinitely".
Rahul Gandhi on Friday released a video statement slamming Twitter for blocking his account and alleged that Twitter was taking sides in the politics of the country.
Aside from India where the Delta variant was first detected, the Philippines also banned travellers from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
There will be a gradual increase in rainfall activity over the Northeast, peninsular and adjoining east central India from August 15 while there will be subdued rainfall very likely over the rest of the country during the next five days, IMD said in a release.
