APSCC welcomes announcement to grant minority status to Sikhs in Kashmir

Srinagar/ Kashmir (November 25, 2013): It is learnt that the All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) has welcomed the statement of Housing and Horticulture Minister, Raman Bhalla that the state government is considering granting of minority status to Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir.

However, the APSCC said mere statement that government is considering to grant minority status was not enough as Sikhs are struggling for this status for the past four years.

In a statement, APSCC Chairman, Jagmohan Singh Raina said that APSCC has been persuading the state government to grant minority status to the Sikhs in state for the past so many years without getting any positive response.

Jagmohan Singh Raina said reportedly that instead of making statements, state government should take steps to address the genuine concern of Sikhs.

He said, ”ever since Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took over as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, we have been demanding minority status to the Sikhs in state.”

He said APSCC had taken up this and other issues of the community with the President, Prime minister and chairman minority commission.

“We have been demanding that National Minority Act should be extended to Jammu and Kashmir so that Sikhs and other minorities could get benefit of central schemes, available for minorities in other parts of the country.

APSCC Chairman had recently issued a warning that Sikhs would boycott ruling alliance National Conference (NC) and Congress candidates in next assembly elections in case the present dispensation fails to give minority status to Sikhs in state.

He said that APSCC has already started a campaign to make the members of community aware about the promises that were never kept by the present coalition government.