The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission to ensure that refugee status is granted to Afghans, including some MPs, who have already entered India.

Based on media reports and interviews with some of them, the RRAG has listed the names of legislators: Wahidullah Kaleemzai, member of Parliament from Wardak; Abdul Aziz Hakimi, MP from Parwan; Abdul Qadir Zazai, secretary-general of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament); Senator Malem Lala Gul; Shukria Esakhail, MP from Baghlan; Senator Mohammad Khan; Mariam Solaimankhail, MP; and Qais Mowafaq, senior adviser to Afghanistan’s Upper House.

As of date, the government — while announcing that it will not abandon its partners among the locals in Afghanistan — has not officially put out the list of the number or the names of those Afghans who have already entered India. Asked about the source of the names listed in his petition, RRAG’s director Suhas Chakma said it was based on media reports.

Referring to the government’s decision to issue the “e-Emergency X-Misc Visa” to help Afghans who may want to move to India, the RRAG petition states that this is inadequate under the circumstances.

“First, visa by definition comes with an expiry date and can be denied at any time. Second, visa by definition also excludes extension of any humanitarian assistance by the government and any possibility to work or engage in activities necessary for survival. The grant of visa does not take into account the situation that these Afghan nationals are not in a position to return to Afghanistan as the Taliban has taken over the entire country and refoulement/repatriation means certain torture or even death,’’ the petition said.

The petitioner argues for granting refuge or asylum to those Afghans fleeing their country.

“It would be a historic blunder if India fails to grant refugee status and protections to the Afghan nationals who have fled to India irrespective of their religion. The Afghans who fled to India including the members of Parliament named above had worked with the Government of India in the last 20 years, which makes them special targets of the Taliban, and India cannot abandon them by granting only e-visas,’’ it said.