Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 26: District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DGPC) Jammu has demanded two Assembly seats for the Sikh community members in the Jammu and Kashmir.
Ranjeet Singh Tohra along with S Balvinder Singh Vice President, S Surjit Singh Gen Secretary, S Ranvir Singh Jt Secretary, S Jagpal Singh Cashier, S Harjit Singh & S Gurmeet Singh members and Incharge Dharam Parchar Committee DGPC, S Tejinder Singh & S Avtar Singh member DGPC organised Press Conference.
While addressing a press conference president of the DGPC- Ranjeet Singh Tohra and Balvinder Singh vice president stated that as per media reports Govt of India is going to present J&K Reorganization (Amendment) Bill 2023 in the Lok Sabha to pave the way for reserving two Assembly seats for Kashmiri migrants’ and one for displaced person from Pakistan occupied Kashmir. This is a welcome step but it is surprising that minority community of Sikhs of J&K including those residing in Kashmir and in Jammu province are being met with grave injustice. But the justice demands that two seats should have been kept for Sikhs also, one for Sikhs of valley and one for Jammu, which has equal population as that of population of Kashmiri Pandits.
“We may reiterate that about 3 lakh Sikhs settled in Jammu are mostly displaced persons of 1947 from PoJK and even PoJK DPs which comprises of Hindus and Sikhs are not being given representation in Assembly on the basis of population displaced from PoJK. The POoK Assembly seats are already in count of total assembly seats but still the govt appears not concerned with the PoJK DPs and intend to give such vacant seats to people presently residing in PoJK. It will again create Assembly seats imbalance on population basis and is against the spirit on the basis of which two Assembly seats are being allotted to Kashmiri Pandits,” they added.
Balvinder Singh said Kashmiri Pandits have been allowed 2 assembly seats only on the analogy of dislocation and not giving 8-10 seats to PoJK DPs will not only go against the spirit of said analogy but speaks volumes of double standard adopted by the present political dispensation. One seat out of 24 seats kept vacant for PoJK was since released for creating Mendhar constituency. Allocating 8-10 seats for PoJK DPs who are settled in Jammu province will help Jammuties establishing their strength,” he maintained.
DGPC members impressed upon the Central Govt to do justice with 3.5 lacs Sikhs and 12 to 14 lakh PoJK DPs not only in their interest but in the interest of the nation.
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