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| Rights of Sikhs under threat, says community | | |
Srinagar, June 27
A conference of Sikh granthis, raggis and parcharaks drawn from all parts of the valley was today organized by Jammu and Kashmir Sikh Ekta Manch at Tagore hall in Srinagar.
The conference was conducted by a senior Sikh leader of the Valley Sardar Aya Singh Dardi and was assisted by Mangat Singh, a sikh missionary. During the day long conference prominent Sikh leaders in the presence of raggis, preachers and pracharaks evaluated the performance of the central and the state governments and expressed their concern over certain issues linked with sikh community and their well being.
Many head priests of Gurudwara’s of Kashmir shared their common viewpoint on freedom of expression and three main issues -legitimate rights of the sikh community in the state, Sikh gurdwara act and proper inquiry behind the Chittisinghpora massacre remained centre of attraction.
Noting that the Kashmir has seen blood shed in last two decades,affecting the eternal peace of mankind sikh raggis ad preachers felt that by organizing kirtans and religious gatherings the gurudwara has continued its efforts to console the fear psychosis in the valley.
Organizer of the conference Jagmohan Singh Raina appealed to the sikh community to shun the vested interest and individuality for the uprials of economy,social religious and political interests of the Sikhs.
He said the Sikhs have been targeted economically and socially in the valley. Even the central gobt has also failed to protect the legitimate rights of the sikh community. Both the state and the centre governments are ignoring sikh of the valley by adopting different yard sticks for minorities.
The gathering noted preference is being given only to one minority, even though a major part of them is not in the valley."We are seriously concerned about the attitude of the administration apathy and time will prove that both centre and state will despise their behavior of the past".Sikhs can play a significant role in socio-politico setting of Kashmir dispute,the conference observed.
Two other issues were raised during the conference. Sikh Gurudwara act which has so many defects needs complete redrafting. The incident of Chittisinghpora massacre needs a proper inquiry which has not been done till now, Jagmohan Singh Raina said.
On the occasion many preachers suggested that any sikh or non-sikh politicians be stopped from giving any kind of political lecture inside the walls of the Gurudwara.Devotees come to Gurudwara to listen to sermons, Gurbani and kirtan and many a times they are taken to ride by politicians against their wishes. On the occasion sikh raggis and preachers also raised the issue of hardships faced by the devotees while coming to the Gurudawars.They said despite numerous representations to conceend authorities vendors, hawakers and others have created hurdles for devotees regularly visiting gurudwaras.
Many educationists retired sikh officers and writers participated in the day long conference.Sikh leaders Sr Bhupinder Singh Papu,Manjeet Singh,Gurmeet Singh,SD Singh Gurdayal Singh,Sant Singh, Principal Niranjan Singh also participated in the conference.
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