Pakistani Hindus can now immerse the remains of their dead relatives in the Holy River Ganga in India

A Change in policy by the Central Government

Representative image

New Delhi –  Hindus from Pakistan will now be able to come to India and immerse the ashes of their relatives in the River Ganga. To achieve this, the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed the ‘sponsorship policy’. This has now cleared the way for the remains of over 426 dead Pakistani Hindus to be immersed in the River Ganga at Haridwar. Before their death, all of them had expressed a desire to have their remains immersed in the Holy Ganga in India, but their wishes remained unfulfilled due to the sponsorship policy.

Norms relaxed, Pakistan Hindus hope to visit Haridwar for ‘asthi visarjan’ https://t.co/OPOIdrEz6E

— TOIChandigarh (@TOIChandigarh) January 5, 2023

As per the earlier sponsorship policy, there was a provision that ‘any Hindu family living in Pakistan should be sponsored (Indian relatives of Pakistani Hindus can immerse the remains of a dead Pakistani Hindu relative on their behalf in the River Ganga) by their respective relatives living in India’. The Pakistani Hindu would be provided with a Visa only after this provision was satisfied.  Now according to the new policy ‘family members of dead Hindus will be given a 10-day visa for immersing the bones in the River Ganga.’ This means that the old policy need not be followed anymore.

For many years the ashes of dead Hindus were kept in the temple !

The ashes of Hindus kept in Pakistan for immersion

There are many Hindus in Pakistan, who after cremating their loved ones kept their ashes safe for years together in their backyards. They hoped that one day they would be able to immerse the remains of their dead relatives in the River Ganga in India. Now due to the change in policy by the Modi Government, this unfulfilled desire will now be fulfilled.