SRINAGAR, Jammu & Kashmir—Instead of Jammu and Kashmir government’s intention to form a new minority commission, a Sikh body on Sunday demanded the extension of [the] current National Commission for Minority Act [of] 1992 in the state.
In a statement All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee appreciated the Union Ministry’s motion of taking over the issue of minorities with the State Government.
The committee chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina pointed out that the government should extend the current National Commission for Minority Act 1992 in J&K, instead of drafting a new minority commission for Minority “on the designs of some people dominating the state government.”
“If state government tries to sabotage the minority rights of Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists, then all the rightfully deserving minorities of the state will jointly instigate a political campaign against the new minority commission draft,” Raina said.
“Some people with vested interests already having reservation quota in the State want to have the privilege of dual reservation status which will not be expectable to us in any form. According to the guidelines of National Minority Commission, Muslims enjoying the minority status at the national level should not be eligible for minority quota at state level in J&K where they are already a majority community,” he stated.
The body maintained that like in the state Punjab, the Sikhs are a majority community and don’t enjoy the minority status as applicable at the national level.
“In the state, as per the 2001 population census, the Kashmir division of the state has 0.88% as Sikhs and 0.11% as Buddhists and others. The population of Jammu division has 3.57% as Sikhs and 0.51% as Buddhists and others. So it clearly states that the Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists are the minorities in dire need of government benefits through the implementation of the NCM Act 1992,” the statement said.
Raina stated that in a “recent meeting with the President of India, Pranab Mujherjee” they were given assurance for early implementation of Minority status in state.
“If present ruling coalition government NC and Congress fail to do so then minority communities of J&K will be disappointed in them and would have no other alternative than launch an agitation against them in the coming elections. This shows that state government is more serious towards the vote bank politics rather than inclusive development of the State,” the Sikh leader said.
