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| Trouble for coalition partners as APSCC decides to boycott them in 2014 Assembly elections | | Accuse CM of complete failure in solving problems of Sikhs | | Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Aug 28: Accusing the State Government of complete failure in solving the problems of Sikh community in the state, All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) has urged Sikhs across the state not to vote for the candidates of coalition partners-National Conference and Congress in next year's Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference here today, Jagmohan Singh Raina, Chairman APSCC said that the Committee would launch an agitation against the State Government. He said the Sikhs would be motivated and persuaded not to vote for candidates of National Conference and Congress during the 2014 Assembly elections.
"We have decided to launch a peaceful agitation in the name of Jammu and Kashmir Sikh Dharam Yudh Morcha. Since the present State Government has failed to address the issues confronting Sikhs in state we have decided to teach them a lesson. We will move from door to door and carry out a campaign against the fallacies of National Conference and Congress parties," said Jagmohan.
APSCC Chairman said that enough time has been given to State Government for implementation of National Minorities Act in the state. He said Sikhs constitute significant portion of the electorate in eight Assembly seats of Kashmir valley and 10 seats in Jammu division. He added that once Sikhs would not vote for politicians of National Conference and Congress in these seats it is quite possible that both parties would suffer heavily in the next Assembly elections.
"Despite repeated pleas and requests from APSCC the State Government have not implemented the National Minorities Act in Jammu and Kashmir. Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee have asked the State Government to get the National Minorities Act implemented in the state. Chairman, National Commission for Minorities, Wajahat Habibullah has written to Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and former Law Minister, Ali Mohammad Sagar to implement the Act in the state, but of no avail," said Jagmohan.
Jagmohan said Sikhs have got alienated from the system after not being given the status of minority in the state. He said the State Government is just the implementing agency of National Minorities Act in the state with the scheme being primarily a national scheme. He said all the costs on account of this scheme have to be borne by the Central Government and there is no financial liability on the State Government.
"The APSCC strongly condemns the State Government's proposal of introducing its own Minority Act. The introduction of this Act would mean that there would be dilution of minority status of Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir. It is quite possible that some fringe groups may be added to the list of minorities in state and this would be in contravention of National Minorities Act. There is no need for State Minority Act since some of the Central Acts like Haj Committee Act, 1959, The Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923 and MGNREGA already stand implemented in the state," said the APSCC Chairman.
Jagmohan said that some of the Government officials are interfering in the religious matters of Sikhs and are denying revision of electoral rolls to those Sikhs who had to leave their native places during turmoil and settle down in Srinagar and other district headquarters. He said these officers are asking Sikhs that their electoral rolls cannot be revised and they cannot vote in the upcoming Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee (GPC) elections since they no longer live at their native places. He demanded a probe in this matter and asked the officers not to indulge in religious affairs of Sikhs.
"Despite raising this issue of neglect of Punjabi language with Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on many occasions there is no relief on this front. Posts of lecturers in colleges across Kashmir valley are lying vacant now and no steps whatsoever are being taken to fill these posts. This has acted as a dampener to the employment prospects of the youth who complete higher degrees in Punjabi with a hope that they would get job in any of the colleges," said Jagmohan.
The APSCC Chairman said the State Government has failed to provide jobs to youth of the majority community in some of the sectors for which the state is famous. He said one lakh jobs can easily be provided to youth in the Fisheries sector. He said important Sikh personalities and leaders like Gurdev Singh, Dayal Singh Wazir, Prof. Amrik Singh from Jammu province and senior leader Sardar Himmat Singh, Charanjeet Singh and others from Kashmir have supported them.
Responding to a question about the objections raised to the holding of musical concert by Zubin Mehta in Srinagar, Jagmohan said that APSCC would support the initiative taken by majority community in this respect. The other Sikh leaders present in the press conference included Prof. Tirath Singh, Principal Niranjan Singh, Harjeet Singh Sweety, Surjeet Singh and Hakumat Singh ZEO. |
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