The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed the sponsor policy. Under this, Hindus living in Pakistan will now be able to come to India and immerse the ashes of their dead relatives in the Ganges. After this decision, the ashes of more than four hundred Hindus who died in Pakistan can now be flown in the river Ganga in Haridwar.
Till now there was a provision in the sponsorship policy that Hindus living in Pakistan could be given visa only if a family member was living in India or a close sponsor. Since the partition has been a long time, the number of Hindu families living in Pakistan is very less in India.
Under the change in policy, Hindu families living in Pakistan will be given a 10-day visa to India to immerse the ashes of their deceased members in the Ganges. After this, now 426 Hindu families will be able to flow the ashes of their dead relatives in the Ganges.
Many Hindus in Pakistan, after cremating their loved ones, place the ashes in temples or cremation grounds, so that they can be flown into the Ganges when the occasion arises.
