ATTARI (AMRITSAR): A shattered economy and bleak prospects are forcing a number of families of Indian origin settled in Tran to migrate to India.
This was disclosed by members of the 35odd families who crossed over into India from Pakistan on Nov.11.
The families, including mostly women and children, had crossed over to Pakistan from Iran and then boar tied the train to Atari from Lahore. Waiting for immigration clearance this border railway station along With their belongings they told news that a shattered Iranian economy has left them with no option but to move to India all the families were Sikhs who had Been living in Iran since the beginning of this century. Though all of them have relatives in India and have maintained a strong link with the country of their fore fathers, they are well aware that settling down in India could not be an easy task.
According to Mr. Sampuran Singh, who has come with two of his family members from Zahid an, a number of Indians in Iran are migrating to India and applying for citizenship. This fact of is more noticeable in the case of the service class, he added.
Sampuran Singh, whose grandfather settled down in Iran after World,. ‘War I, said that though there was no form of, discrimination against the Indians in Iran but freedom had been curtailed due to the imposition of Islamic laws and violators were punished in the most harsh manner.
“Our families in Iran somehow are feeling suffocated and besides the ‘economic hardships the desire to move to a free country like India is always there he added.
Ms. Nirmal Kaur, in her 60s, has plans of shifting here grandchildren to India while she along with her sons ‘would manage the motor spare parts shop in Tehran, She said that another problem was the education of the children in schools which are being run on Islamic lines. Middle-aged Sikh, who came alone, said his two sons tad moved to Jagadhri in Haryana three years ago but stays in Iran along with a cousin manage the grocery store there. “1 Keep coming here whenever I like.” Ravinder Singh, born and brought up in Tehran and is successful business man there, disclosed that the impact of the Iran Iraq war bad jellied the Iranian economy, Families of Indian origin, majority of them Sikhs began moving to India in the mid1980″ sand during the past two years the influx into India has increased. “We are not thinking in terms of permanently leaving Iran and settling down here. So far none of the families who have left Tehran have closed.
Who runs readymade garment stores in Tehran. Mr. Davinder Singh, accompanied by his wife and three children, has got plans to open a readymade garment business in New Delhi with the help from his relatives but would not settle. in India I will not close down my business in Tehran at least not for the time being,” he said hoping that the economic situation would improve in the country of his birth, His mother and father along with his younger brother are now managing the business in Tehran.
According to Mr. Singh, there are about 120 families of Indian origin in ‘Tehran and more than 200 in Zahid and city. Business families have already started investing in India.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 17, 1995
