India has granted at least 4,300 refugees from Afghanistan and Pakistan during the past one year, Khaama news agency reported Sunday.

The citizenship to Hindus and Sikhs from Afghanistan and Pakistan were granted as part of a program by the National Democratic government to grant Indian nationality to nearly 200,000 refugees from neighboring countries.

The refugees were granted citizenship at the initiative of Home Minister Rajnath Singh following BJP’s declared policy that India is a “natural home for persecuted Hindus” who will be welcome to seek refuge.

This comes as India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, during the Lok Sabha election campaign, said that Pakistani and Bangladeshi Hindu refugees will be treated like any other Indian citizen.