Fleeing Sikhs from ”land of Taliban”

Why Sikhs have to leave Afghanistan ?

During school days we were told that in the historical past , One King attacked other state and he kicked out peoples staying there or told them to convert their religion or ready to get die, which baffled me that how it can be possible ? But when it happened in front of your eyes to the Sikhs of Afghanistan , one have to believe it. Afghanistan which is a landlock country between Iran and Pakistan have a population of 38 Million and land area of 7 time smaller than India is a Islamic country , where Sikh community suffered very badly and is almost at extinction.

Shrinking Sikhs population

Sikhs and Hindu population in Afghanistan around year 1970 was 700,000 , It shrank continuously and now hardly less than 100 are left in Afghanistan. This has happened in this modern world where United Nations support human rights globally and also preached by the super powers. But no body could stop the forcefully exodus of Sikhs and Hindu from Afghanistan due to dirty politics.

Travel of Sikhism to Afghanistan

Sikhs who started migrating to Afghanistan  after  their first Guru GURUNANAK DEV JI  visited Afghanistan in Year 1520. Sikhism grew in Afghanistan thereafter as a GURU followers. Sikh king Maharaja Ranjit Singh  conquered and ruled area around Kabul in 1823 after fighting with Durrani Empire. Many Sikh temples were constructed in major cities of Afghanistan. Sikhs who did import and export business with India for spices and dry fruits were rich community.

Golden era of Sikh community

 In the year before 1970 there was 700,000 Indian living in Afghanistan out of which more than 500,000 were Sikhs . The Indians were living with harmony with Afghan peoples in all major cities of Afghanistan. Most of the Sikhs were doing selling of dry fruits , trading and spare part business . Indians were treated with respect . Indian movies and hindi songs were craze and were filmed in the theatre . There were 150 gurudwara and about 20 Hindu temple before 1970.

Country of War Lords

Afghanistan has a very disturbing past so for its stability is concerned. Invaders from west captured Afghanistan many times while attempting to conquer India. Afghanistan got independence from Hindustan in 1876. Country is full of different tribes and groups who have their own set of rules .  And these groups have been fighting with each other for supremacy for many years. Afghanistan is considered as country of War Lords.  None of the govt which have ruled it have full control of the country at any given time.

Russian rule

In year 1978 Afghan Communist party tried to rule for introducing reforms and installed Babrak Kamal as a President , but it was not accepted by Afghans which lead to rebellion. To suppress the Rebellion ,  Russia army invaded Afghanistan and fought with Afghans Mujahidin from 1979 to 1989 to control it without any success , and then returned back to Russia . During period tough Islamic laws were enforced to every one in Afghanistan including Sikhs .

Birth of Taliban

After Russian left , Taliban was founded in 1990 . With the departure of Russian army Taliban became strong . Next 10 Year Mujahedeen group and Taliban tried to control Afghanistan by fighting each others. With Afghan War Lords , Mujahidin and Taliban group fought among themselves , which affected the business and safety of Sikhs and Hindu in Afghanistan. The situation worsened day by day and many Sikhs left Afghanistan and settled in India and other countries. After arrival of Taliban in 1990 Indians were continuously under threat as they were told by Talibani to convert to Islam or leave the country. There were continuous attacks on Sikh Gurdwara in all major city of Afghanistan which lead to their closures.

American Invasion

Al Qaeda group also born during this period , who alleged to have done bombing of Twin towers of New York.   To punish Al Qaeda and Taliban  American invaded Afghanistan to teach democracy to Afghans and finish the terrorism there from 2001 to Aug 2021 but left abruptly without achieving anything. American left behind Millions of Dollar of Army equipment in Afghanistan before returning back in year 2021 empty handed. During this period exodus Sikh communities happened very fast as they fear for their life and they fled Afghanistan.

Destruction of Sikh Temples

in mid 1900 there were 150 Sikh Gurudwara spread across Afghanistan in and around major cities of Kabul , Kandahar & Jalalabad . With continues political instability and threat to Sikh communities who migrated , only 60 functional Gurudwara was left in year 1990 . During next 10 year Period when there was many group of Mujahedeen and Al Qaeda fighting for the control of Afghanistan, Sikh population shrunk to 1/4rd and many Gurdwara was closed forcefully as Sikhs was told to leave by Taliban group. After Invasion of American Army in 2001 there was more further chaos in the life of Sikhs population as their Gurdwaras were continuously attacked and was closure. When American left in Aug2021 only one Gurudwara in Kabul was functional , that too was also bombed by Talibani group in June 2022 to its closure.

Final Sikhs Exodus

Sikh community was well respected and grew in all major cities of Afghanistan during 19^th century. At one time Sikhs have more than 150 Sikh temples  in major cities of Afghanistan. In the last 50 years Sikh population were treated very cruelly specially after arrival of Taliban group in 1990 . Sikhs population in Afghanistan which at one time was 500,000 strong now is less than 100 , with no functioning Gurudwara and they are in the verge of extinction. Indian Govt has evacuated the majority of Sikhs to India in Aug 2021 after American forces left Afghanistan. The era of Sikhism in Afghanistan has sadly ended now.