Delhi: Afghan diplomats reach out to Sikhs protesting Jalalabad terror attack

In an unprecedented show of solidarity, Afghan diplomats today joined protesting Sikhs in India's capital Delhi. Delhi's Sikhs and a number of Afghan Sikhs had been protesting against the Jalalabad terror attack in Delhi's diplomatic area.

The protesters had wanted to march to the Afghan embassy and protest in front of it but were stopped midway. It was then that the Afghan diplomats walked out to meet the protersters and calm them down.

The diplomats assured the protesters of support and discussed the terror challenge Afghanistan is facing.

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The protesting Sikhs had been carrying placards which said "Sikhs have always helped people in distress without discrimination. Is this how you repay them", and waving back flags.

Security was also tight in the area but despite the protests, the Sikhs made certain the public did not suffer. All litter was removed and a langar was organised after the protest.

A palpable anger can be felt in Delhi's Sikh community. Ardas or prayers have been held in memory of the Jalalabad terror attack victims.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee have announced Rs 1 lakh rupees each in compensation to the victims' next of kin.

India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met the relatives of the Sikhs killed in the Jalalabad attack on Monday and assured them all help. India's High Commissioner to Pakistan AJay Bisaria and India's HIgh Commissioner to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar were both present at the meet.

Both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack.

A massive terror attack in Afghanistan's eastern city of Jalalabad killed 13 Afghan Sikhs on Sunday. The dead included Avtar Singh, the man who was to represent the minority Sikh and Hindu community in Afghanistan's parliament.

The terror attack wiped out Afghanistan's Sikh political leadership. Afghanistan goes to the polls on October 20.

On Monday, in an exclusive conversation with WION, Afghanistan's ambassador to India Shaida Abdali lauded Avtar Singh, calling him a true patriot. Abdali said that the attack was a blow to Afghanistan's diversity.

Avtar Singh had been in touch with WION and was to give us an interview ahead of the Afghan elections. His last words to me were "(I am) standing on behalf of all Sikh and Hindu community who lives in Afghanistan. Minorities are in bad conditions. We haven't got any help from anyone. We want to ask our rights from the government."

The local Muslim community has joined in the grieving. The governor of Nangarhar province met members of the Sikh community in Jalalabad. He offered condolences from President Ghani.

Only recently, a delegation of Afghan Sikhs led by Avtar Singh had India's ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar to discuss the issues the community was facing.

Ever since the terror attack, both Afghanistan and India have been pointing fingers at Pakistan.

The Afghan ambassador in Delhi said the terror attacks came from across the border. In a strongly-worded statement, the Indian mission in Kabul said "the attack again underlines the need for a united global fight against international terrorism without discrimination and accountability of those who support terrorists in any manner".

The situation in Afghanisatn remains precarious for minority Sikhs and Hindus. Once a thriving community, their population has declined to just 1,000. Many have returned to India.

India has become a home away from home. But a love for Afghanistan remains, as does a flicker of hope that stability will return one day to the land which once was home.