PATNA: As bilateral relations between India and Pakistan deteriorate further, residents from “Pakistan” village in Bihar want to get their identity changed as soon as possible. Annoyed villagers have petitioned the government official to change the name of their village soon saying they feel ashamed to be addressed as “Pakistanis”.
Curiously, the Pakistan village located in the Srinagar block of Purnia district, more than 300 km east of the capital city of Bihar, doesn’t have any Muslim villager nor it has any mosque located there. The village, home to some 1200 people, has mainly tribal populations.
“We are caught in an awkward situation. None want to marry their daughters with youths from our village. We too feel ashamed of being called Pakistanis while we have nothing to do with Pakistan,” a local resident Anup Lal Tuddu told the local media on Friday.
Another villager Ganga Tuddu said Pakistan is refusing to mend its ways despite all efforts by the Indian government. “The way Pakistan has been spitting fire against India and sponsoring terrorism, our patience has run short. The name is also disturbing our relation with our neighbors. We don’t want to be identified as a resident of Pakistan,” explained a visibly irritated Tuddu.
Local officials said they share the sentiments of the villagers and would try their best to change the name of this village. “The local villagers have handed us a petition demanding for change in name of their village. We are forwarding the petition to senior officials for necessary actions,” local circle official Nandan Kumar said.
Purnia district magistrate Rahul Kumar said he had not received the petition so far. “Though I have not received the petition but would act in accordance with the established procedures to get the name changed,” the district magistrate said.
Local parliamentarian Santosh Kushwaha too supported the move of the villagers saying he would be doing everything in this regard.
Villagers say at one point of time Pakistan village was a symbol of love and affinity between citizens from two countries but at present, they are being treated with disdain and viewed with suspicion for having the very name of their village. According to villagers, the village, then in Islampur district of Bengal, was named “Pakistan” in memory of Muslim villagers who migrated in 1947 to what was then known as East Pakistan. This part is now known as Bangladesh.
Reports said before leaving the village, the Muslim residents had handed over their property to Hindu neighbors and the Hindu villagers reciprocated the love by naming their village as “Pakistan”. But now this historic village looks set to be obliterated from people’s memory soon.
(Agencies)
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