AMRITSAR: Notwithstanding the nationwide protests against Citizenship Amendment Act, a large number of Hindu and Sikh migrants from Pakistan and Afghanistan came out on streets to express gratitude towards Modi government for enabling them to be ‘citizens of India’.

“We came from Pakistan and all these years we were known to be Pakistanis in Amritsar but after CAA coming into effect we will be known as proud Indians” said Saran Singh who had migrated from Pakistan over two decades ago and has been living in Amritsar trying to hide his Pakistani’s identity.

He said whenever he or people like him would tell other about country they belonged everyone would get suspicious of them.

“But now the ordeal is over, we have nothing to hide” said he.

Reacting on Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh's statement that his government would not allow the legislation to be implemented in Punjab, he said “Centre has paved way to make us citizens of India and we all humbly request Punjab governments to not create obstacles”

Hardwari Lal who had migrated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan in 2008 said “All these years we had to spend our energy, money and time to get our visas extended and we had lot of issues in getting our children admitted in schools”.

He informed that for past some time the visa formalities had been made very complex so CAA had come as a godsend gift for them.

While commenting on opposition to CAB primarily by Muslims, he said “There are countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan where a persecuted Muslim could settle but for Hindus India was the only hope and now finally we have seen light at the end of tunnel” he said.

A vegetable vendor Gulzari Lal who had migrated from Pakistan in 2008 said “We know how many doors we have knocked in all these years pleading for Indian citizenship, carrying Pakistani tag had been a social taboo for us for all these years but all our hardships are over due to Modi government“ he said.

