The Indian village that's called Pakistan - and wishes it wasn't

Residents begin campaign to have their home renamed after falling victim to xenophobia

In a village in north-east India that shares its name with the country's arch-rival nation Pakistan, residents are campaigning for an official name change to end decades of confusion over their identity.

Located about 320km from Patna, capital of the north-eastern state of Bihar, officials say the village has been renamed Birsa Nagar, after a revered tribal leader.

However, residents' government identity cards still bear the original name Pakistan Tola – tola translates from Hindi as a hamlet or village neighbourhood – and they claim this leads to suspicion and xenophobia when trying to seek work outside the area.

Pakistan Tola, home to about 100 families, took its name from refugees from former East Pakistan – now Bangladesh – who settled in the remote region.

“My grandfather and father told us that people from [East] Pakistan lived here,” resident Somay Tuddu told The National. “Growing up, we were always confused, because as Pakistan is another country, then how it can be the name of our village?”

Modern residents, who are members of a tribe and follow indigenous religious beliefs, say they feel stigmatised for having Pakistan in their official documents, given India's frosty ties with its rival.

India and Pakistan have remained enemies since the subcontinent was divided in 1947 after independence from British colonialists, ostensibly along religious lines. The countries have fought three wars and have frozen diplomatic relations since 2019 when they were on the verge of another war. Pakistan is a majority Muslim country, and India majority Hindu.

A recent legal decision by India's Supreme Court may help the villagers of Pakistan Tola in their cause to rename their home. Last month, the court reprimanded a high court judge in southern Karnataka state after he called a Muslim-majority area “Pakistan” during a court hearing, claiming his comments were against the “territorial integrity” of the country.

Mr Tuddu said villagers who migrate to other states for work are often viewed with suspicion over their home address.

“When people go out from the village for work to other states, people seem curious, they wonder if we have crossed the border. They say they have never heard of Pakistan Tola,” Mr Tuddu said.

Muslims in India, including popular actors and writers, have been told to “go to Pakistan”, for expressing their dissent or criticism of the ruling Hindu right-wing government of Bharatiya Janata Party, in displays of xenophobia and Islamophobia.

Prem Prakash Mandal, head of the Singhia rural body of Srinagar subdivision, under which the village falls, told The National that Pakistan Tola got the name in 1972 when refugees from East Pakistan fled to India following the war between East Pakistan and West Pakistan provinces which led to the formation of Bangladesh.

Mr Mandal said the authorities “listened to their demands and renamed” the village to Birsa Nagar and put up a sign on a tree at the entrance of the village in 2019. However, the renaming of the village has not been formalised as identity cards carried by the villagers still list Pakistan Tola as their residence.

“Our Aadhar [identity] card and all other government identity cards still have our address as Pakistan. That has not changed,” said Mr Mandal.

“There is nothing wrong in being a Pakistani but we are born here so why have that name? Renaming the village will not help. Until and unless they change the name on documents, what does it mean?”

Sita Devi, 50, who settled in the village after her marriage, echoed the same concerns. “If you really want to change the name then you must change our documents too. It is still named Pakistan Tola here,” Ms Devi said.