PM’s statement on J&K Sikhs contrary to ground reality: SPF

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: Hailing some of achievements mentioned in book ‘PM Modi and His Government’s Special relations with Sikhs’ including development and opening of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, removal of 312 out of 314 names of blacklisted Sikhs settled abroad, worldwide celebration of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, GST exemption to Langars etc, Balvinder Singh, President Sikh Progressive Front (SPF) on Saturday said that statement of Prime Minister on Sikhs of J&K contradicts with ground level status of Sikhs in J&K UT.
While addressing a press conference, Balvinder Singh along with Manjit Singh General Secretary, Harmohinder Singh President Displaced Kashmiri Sikh Conference, Janak Singh, Rajinder Singh, T P Singh, Sharanjit Singh Shunty, Iqbal Singh and Jasvinder Singh said that the statement of Prime Minister that his Govt has protected rights of Sikh community of J&K is quite contrary to ground level position. “Sikh community is facing discrimination. The latest and glaring example of discriminatory attitude of Govt is evident from a circular issued by Relief & Rehabilitation Commissioner (M) J&K vide No. 03 of 2020 dated December 1, 2020 as per which 1,997 Divisional and District cadre posts in various departments under PM Package for Migrant Kashmiri and Non-Migrant Kashmiri Pandits have been advertised but not for non-Migrant Sikh youth, who stayed back in valley despite large scale killings of their community members,” the Sikh leaders added.
Manjit Singh said that the community was once again neglected when Punjabi language was not included among official languages of J&K. Now, All India Council For Technical Education has declared certain concessions for admissions in Higher Education Institutions of India only for non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits /Kashmiri Hindu families (non-migrant), ignoring migrant Kashmiri Sikhs, he added.
The Sikh leaders urged Prime Minister to intervene in the matter and take all possible measures to redress grievances of Sikh community of J&K at the earliest.