Hardeep Puri, BJP Chief Nadda carry Guru Granth Sahib brought from Afghanistan
Dec 10, 2021
New Delhi [India], December 10 : Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and BJP chief JP Nadda carried Guru Granth Sahib brought by a Sikh delegation from Kabul, Afghanistan on Friday afternoon.
The delegation has brought three copies of the Guru Granth Sahib to New Delhi in a special repatriation flight. The flight from Kabul with over 100 people including Afghan citizens belonging to the Hindu and Sikh communities arrived in New Delhi.
The flight was operated under Operation Devi Shakti and bought 10 Indians and 94 Afghans including members of the Afghan Hindu-Sikh minority community.
"Under Operation Devi Shakti, a special Kam Air flight arranged by India has arrived in New Delhi from Kabul," the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.
"It has brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghans including members of the Afghan Hindu-Sikh minority community. Among the evacuees are 9 children, including 3 infants," Bagchi added in the tweet.
The Sri Guru Granth Sahib is expected to be moved to Gurdwara Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Mahavir Nagar and the Hindu religious scriptures will proceed towards Asamai Mandir in Faridabad.
India has evacuated over 565 stranded persons from Afghanistan since August when Kabul fell to the Taliban fighters, the Government stated last week in the Lok Sabha.
Answering a question from Congress MP Hibi Eden, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said officials of the Ministry of External Affairs were in contact with the Indians left behind.
The statement, however, did not elaborate whether the airlifted individuals also included some Afghans.
