[Srinagar,J&K] Microscopic Sikh Community Demands Minority Status In J&K
A delegation of Sikh leaders met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and demanded minority status for the Sikhs in the state for their socio-economic upliftment.
Chairman, All Parties Sikh Coordination Community (APSCC), Jagmohan Singh Raina, who led the delegation, said in a statement,said the major demand of the delegation was to ask for minority status for the Sikh community for their socio-economic upliftment.
Raina said the provision of National Commission of Minority Act is yet to be implemented in the state, much to the disappointment of the community members.
“Sikhs are considered as a minority in India under the Minority Act of National Minority Commission of India 2C of 1992 along with other communities, including Muslims, Buddhists and Christians,
The APSCC chairman said during the campaign for the 2014 assembly elections, PDP had promised to grant the minority status to Sikhs as per the guidelines of the National Commission for Minorities Act.
The delegation also raised other pending demands of Sikhs, including
restoring of teaching-staff for Punjabi language in colleges and schools, issuing of the state subject certificate and other certificates through central authority or Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Office on the pattern of issuing of state subject certificates by Migrant Commissioner.
The delegation comprised of prominent Sikh leaders, including Sahitya Academy awardee Paramjit Singh Bali (Kanwal Kashmiri), Joginder Singh Shan (PDP leader and President, Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee), Ajit Singh Mastana, Sant Singh, Gurdyal Singh among others.