Sikh amalgam in Kashmir supports farmer protests, Bharat bandh call tomorrow; asks Centre to rollback laws

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“70 percent population of Jammu & Kashmir is associated with agriculture and horticulture and as such support for farmers is natural”

Srinagar: Supporting the ongoing farmer protest on the borders of Delhi, the All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee Kashmir (APSCC) has asked the government of India to rollback the recently introduced farm laws as the same are “against” the farmers.

APSCC has also extended support to the bandh call given by the farmers against the new agriculture laws on December 8 and said that “despite feeding the entire country the central government is adopting lackadaisical attitude in rolling back the new farm laws.”

In a statement to media, APSCC Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said that “70 percent population of Jammu & Kashmir is associated with agriculture and horticulture and as such support for farmers is natural.”

Referring to the issues confronting the Sikh community of Jammu & Kashmir, the APSCC Chairman said that New Delhi should give share to the Sikhs in the employment package announced for the non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits.

He said that Punjabi should be taught in government and private schools where the Sikh population is visible adding that National Commission for Minorities Act should be implemented in Jammu & Kashmir.

Raina asked the Sikhs not to vote for the political parties that have been in power in Jammu and Kashmir and “done nothing for redressing the issues of the community”.

He said that Sikhs of Kashmir valley and Jammu division should be united in this regard and they should be vigilant about the agenda of political parties that have been at forefront in meting out discrimination to the community members.

“Over the years we met chief ministers of erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir and projected problems being faced by the Sikh community but they did nothing in solving these problems. Since Sikh votes are important at places like Jammu, Samba, Kathua, R S Pura, Nowshera, Rajouri, Poonch, Batmaloo, Amira Kadal, Tral, Baramulla, Pahalgam and Rafiabad it is imperative that community members vote for people who are sincere towards them more so in solving the problems,” said the APSCC Chairman.

He added that the Government of India “has embarked upon a plan to marginalize the Sikh community in Jammu & Kashmir while showering benefits on the Kashmiri Pandit community both the migrants and non-migrants”.

“By withdrawing Punjabi language as a recognized language in Jammu & Kashmir and other parts of India the New Delhi has badly bruised the sentiments of Sikhs of the country especially those living in Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.

APSCC leaders like Principal Naranjan Singh, Ajit Singh Mastana, ZEO Hakumat Singh, Davinder Singh, Master Kuldeep Singh and Sant Singh said that Sikh youth “are facing neglect and discrimination from the people”.

“They said that despite securing high marks Sikh youth don’t get jobs while as Kashmiri Pandit youth get jobs despite having low merit,” the statement added.

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