Everything is over, says Afghan Sikh MP rescued from Kabul by India
By Asianet Newsable English | First Published Aug 22, 2021, 1:03 PM ISTThe Afghan MP said that the Taliban wanted Afghan nationals to stay back and assured their safety. However, Narinder Singh Khalsa said, that it was difficult to reconcile with the decision considering that there are "thousands of variants" of the Taliban in the country.
An Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft on Sunday flew down 168 passengers, including 107 Indian nationals, from Kabul. The aircraft landed at the Hindon Indian Air Force base in Ghaziabad.
Among those who arrived was also an Afghan Sikh MP Narinder Singh Khalsa.
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Upon arrival, an emotional Narinder thanked the Narendra Modi government and the Indian officials who had been in constant touch with him and other members of the Afghan Sikh community over the last five days.
The Afghan MP said there were around 200 more community members still stranded in Afghanistan.
"There are over 5000 Taliban fighters guarding the entry to Kabul airport. Taliban fighters blocked our convoy near the airport yesterday. Later their officials forcibly sent us back to the Gurdwara. All of us, including our Indian brothers, were very frightened because right now you cannot identify who is a good person and who is not. Around 8pm, we tried to reach the airport again. This time, we managed to enter from the VIP gate," Narinder said while speaking to media persons at the Hindon air base.
The Afghan MP said that the Taliban wanted Afghan nationals to stay back and assured their safety. However, Narinder said, that it was difficult to reconcile with the decision considering that there are "thousands of variants" of the Taliban in the country.
Who all do you talk to, he asked.
The MP broke down when asked about how he felt about leaving his country.
He said, "We have been in Afghanistan for generations. You know how things are out there today. Even the government that was present there for 20 years is no more. Everything is over. It is zero."
Prior to his evacuation from Kabul, Narinder, whose father Avtar Singh was killed in a 2018 terror attack in Jalalabad, had issued a video statement thanking the Indian government and the Indian Air Force for rescuing him and others from the Afghan Sikh community from Kabul.
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