Why Are Hindus And Sikhs In Afghanistan Leaving – Free PDF Download

Hinduism in Afghanistan

• Before the Islamic conquest of Afghanistan (7^th – 10^th century), the region was a religious sediment of Zoroastrianism, Zunbils, Hinduism and Buddhism.
• Hindu dynasties –

1. The Zunbil dynasty (600-870 CE)
2. The Hindu Shahi dynasty (~800-1000 CE)
3. Even though no longer in power , Hindus occupied high offices under the Ghaznavids (Muslim rule).

• Mughal rule – The province of Kabul remained with Hindustan until 1738.
• The main ethnic groups in Afghanistan which practice Hinduism today are the Punjabis and Sindhis who are believed to have come along with Sikhs as merchants to Afghanistan in the 19th century.

Sikhism in Afghanistan

• Sikhism founder Guru Nanak visited Afghanistan in the early 16th century and laid the foundation of Sikhism there.
• Guru Nanak visited present-day Kabul, Kandahar, Jalalabad, Sultanpur.
• Many Sikhs came as merchants to Afghanistan in the 19th century.
• Hindus and Sikhs were flourishing as traders in Afghan society.

20^TH Century

• There were at least 2 lakh Sikhs and Hindus (in a 60:40 ratio) in Afghanistan until the 1970s.
• Till the beginning of the 1990s, there used to be at least 63 functional Gurudwaras in Afghanistan.

The Exodus

• Religious persecution, discrimination and forced conversion of Hindus has caused the Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh population to dwindle in Afghanistan.
• Under the Mujahideen, there were widespread kidnappings, extortion, property grabbing incidents, religious persecution, targeting Sikhs and Hindus which became the trigger point for exodus.
• The persecution began in 1980s – Afghan Soviet war
• Attacks on Gurudwaras
• Major exodus started in 1992 when the Mujahideen took over.
• After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, those who remained continued to face persecution.

The Sikh Afghan Diaspora

• 50,000 people left Afghanistan under a religious tourism scheme and came to India.
• The majority of Afghan Hindus and Sikhs are now settled in Europe.

How many still remain in Afghanistan?

• No exact figures available
• Last census was in 1979.
• According to local community members , ~700 Sikhs live in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan. 100 Families
• Only 50 Hindus left.
• Attack at Gurdwara Guru Har Rai Sahib on March 25, 2020 when an IS  gunman killed at  least 25

Role of CAA

• The Afghan Sikhs cannot take advantage of the CAA to have fast-tracked citizenship because of the cut-off date of December 31, 2014.

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