A total of 626 people, including 228 Indian citizens, have been evacuated from Afghanistan till now, said Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday. Of 626, 77 belong to the Sikh community. This comes after Taliban took over Kabul on August 15.

Earlier in the day, Puri received swaroop Shri Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan and the sewadars who came from Afghanistan have thanked PM Modi to provide sanctuary and comfort to people in distress.

“Blessed to receive and pay obeisance to three holy Swaroop of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji from Kabul to Delhi a short while ago,” Hardeep Puri tweeted.

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India has been evacuating people from Afghanistan after the Taliban took over Kabul and other provinces on August 15 even before the US troops complete withdrawal from the country.

The US decided to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan after two decades and President Joe Biden has been facing criticism ever since the Taliban takeover.

Meanwhile, the United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet voiced grave concern at the situation in Afghanistan with the Taliban in control. Bachelet was speaking at a special session of the UN Human Rights Council on Afghanistan. Speaking on the occasion, the UN human rights chief called upon the Taliban to honour commitments with respect to the rights of women and girls.

India also expressed concerned about the condition of women and children in Afghanistan. 

India also expressed concerned about the condition of women and children in Afghanistan. In the years when the Taliban was in control, women saw their basic rights taken away including the right to work, the right to pursue and education and even the right to go out alone. Women were also required to wear all-covering clothing and there were harsh punishments for adultery.

The Taliban have been trying present a modern approach by allowing women reporters and journalists to work.