The blue traditional attire he is wearing is the only reminder from Pakistan he wants to carry and keep. For, the 34 years Krishna Bagri lived in Sindh, Pakistan with his three children and wife—are quite forgettable. One of the seven families from Sindh who live at the Majnu Ka Tila Gurudwara since they sought shelter in India after crossing the Attari border in September 2011, the Bagris quit religious atrocities, pain and forceful conversion to be safe in India. They are among 141 Hindu families who are picking up means of livelihood to survive and forget the bitter memories and a bleak past.
Krishna, like many others, has suffered for being a non-Muslim in the neighbouring country. “They would forcefully inject us with deadly virus. One day, six people entered our house in the wee hours. They caught hold of me and injected me with a liquid. They did the same with many others. They are using these methods to get rid of the Hindus in Pakistan,” Krishna said. Today, Bagri is happy to have the freedom to worship, laugh and fight for his rights.
But he still gets nightmares and says that he would never want to return.
At the Majnu Ka Tila, the families live on a barren piece of land and are struggling to make ends meet. Their children survive on khichdi and namak ki roti. Sometimes, the families go to the nearby Gurudwara to eat at the community kitchens or the langar. Divya Bharti, 5, says, “I love going to the langar. We never sleep empty stomach. I love staying here.” Bharti and other kids play games like kancha and gilli-danda. In Pakistan, they were not allowed to play outside. Here, they have all the freedom.
Families earn a living here by selling fruits, vegetables and mobile covers. While the men are at work, the women sell flowers they grow on a piece of land near the Gurudwara. They are facing problems in getting their children admitted to schools. “Schools in Delhi are asking us to produce birth certificates of the children. We do not have any documents with us. And when we tell school authorities that we have come from Pakistan, they bluntly deny our kids admission,” said Parvati, one of the refugees.
“In Pakistan, we were discriminated against, threatened and killed. There is no government and no police to help us. I cannot express how free I feel here”, said Dev Ram, another refugee who is living in a camp with his four children, wife and mother.
The Bagris have recently welcomed a new born baby. They have named him—‘Bharat’.
-Sunday Standard