Consulate General of India in Toronto assures support & help for Afghan Hindu Sikh Community

Consulate General of India in Toronto assures support & help for Afghan Hindu Sikh Community

It was on the day when we were in Brampton Gurdwara for Prayer and peace for all those Hindu & Sikh brothers who were shot by the terrorists in Afghanistan, we heard  lots of genuine issues the Hindu Sikh community was facing in getting Visas to Bharat and to travel.  So we decided to arrange a meeting with the Afghan community leaders and Consulate General of India in Toronto. When we approached the Consulate General of India, they were more than open for the meeting and CG Sri Dinesh Bhatia ji along with his councils Shri D.P Singh and N.P Singh were keen to remove any hurdles faced by the community.

Sri Harinder singh Grover, Sri Arinder singh Copra, Sri Hamte singh Huja, Sri Parkas Sharma attended the meeting with Indian Consulate representing the Hindu Sikh community of Afghanistan.

Noon of 8th August 2018 we had the meeting with CG and his counsels to discuss on the same. We intended to discuss about 3 set of things. As we entered the consulate, a very friendly “Atithi Devo Bhava ” Welcome was given by Sri D.P Singh and Sri N.P Singh. We were made to sit comfortably and Sri D.P Singh tried to understand some of the issues faced and then Sri N.P Singh shared his experience of living and working in Afghanistan for couple of years just before coming to Canada. Afghan Community leaders could connect with them right away and all of a sudden we found our self as no strangers.

Then we all went to CG Sri Dhinesh Bhatia ji’s office. He was as simple as other two gentlemen we met and after an  informal make easy talk our letter of memorandums were submitted. These letters covered three different things as listed below

1)      Letter of Memorandum expressing the issues faced by Afghan Hindu-Sikh community and seeking help

2)      Letter of Invitation to Indian Consulate general

(Inviting CG and his counsels to come to Brampton Gurudwara and Meet the Afghan Hindu Sikh Community)

3)    Letter seeking help those who had death in family in transporting dead body / Ash to Bharat

 

CG Sri Bhatia Ji discussed with councils right then and there to take care of the issues mentioned in the letter and assured as much longer visa with multiple entries will be provided in the shortest time. Also informed, from now on our Afghan Hindu Sikh brothers and sisters can get the visa with no trouble in Brampton itself and no need to shuttle between Brampton and Toronto in most cases.

In general all the issues listed in the letter were addressed and resolved. Also CG and councils were gracious to accept our invitation and assured their coming to Gurudwara where they will be welcomed by all the Afghanistan Hindu Sikh Community in this meet and greet event.

After the meeting was over Sri D.P Singh and Sri N.P Singh Ji took us to a phenomenal lunch and spend time with us there and introduced few more consulate staff and send us off with a merry heart.  Our Afghan Brothers who came there were excited and told, they never expected such a friendly and open gesture and they were overwhelmed.  I was happy. This meeting and the upcoming meet and greet will take the relation with this community to new heights for sure.

As I was driving back, I couldn’t stop feeling proud.  Acche Din for Bharat… Acche Din for our Brothers and Sisters… Consulate General Sri Bhatia ji and his team display the highest standard in representing Bharat and “Athidhi Devo Bhava”!! Resolving all the issues right then and there, making all of us to feel and say  “Mera Bharat Mahan”!!

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2 Comments

  • Mahendra Bhandari , August 9, 2018 @ 11:12 am

    Good initiative and appreciable

    • netultim2 , August 9, 2018 @ 11:14 am

      Thanks Ji. Jai Sia Ram

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