VHP inaugurates CAA assistance centre for refugees

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, March 16

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a prominent Right-wing Hindu organisation, inaugurated the first Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) help centre here on Saturday, aiming to provide essential assistance to refugees from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Strategically located in Adarsh Nagar, the centre is poised to guide refugees through the intricate CAA process, ensuring they have the necessary documentation to access the privileges accorded to Indian citizens.

Surendra Gupta, VHP’s Delhi chief, led the inauguration ceremony and underscored the plight of refugees residing in the Capital. Gupta said, “These refugees came to India long back to protect themselves from the ill treatment that they were getting in their respective countries, although despite escaping their pain from their place of birth, most of them did not find peace in India either.”

He highlighted the challenges faced by refugees, emphasising their lack of identity proof and citizenship status, which hindered their access to government schemes and benefits.

Prem Sharma, VHP leader, elaborated on the centre’s purpose, stating, “For nearly 11 years, the VHP has been extending a helping hand to refugees. With the launch of this help centre, our primary objective is to assist them in completing the necessary paperwork to initiate their CAA process.”

Sharma emphasised the challenges faced by refugees, including educational limitations and incomplete documentation, highlighting the centre’s pivotal role in addressing these obstacles.

Sharma further outlined the operational details of the centre, noting that it will be operational daily and will expedite paperwork for refugees in the Capital within the next one or two months. He also discussed VHP’s efforts to raise awareness about the centre, including strategic placement of hoardings and boards in key localities such as Majnu ka Tilla, a hub for many refugees. Additionally, the VHP has collaborated with community leaders to encourage prompt utilisation of the centre’s services.

As the centre becomes fully operational, it is expected to play a crucial role in streamlining the CAA process for refugees and providing them with much-needed assistance.