Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 26: All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) today urged Government of India to announce job packages for the Muslim and Sikh communities and expressed “disappointment over entitling job package to privileged lot from time to time”.
Reacting to the recent announcement of Government of India of 3000 jobs to be provided to Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir valley, APSCC Chairman Jagmohan Raina said that the members of majority community along with the members of other communities have been left out of the same. “This is sheer injustice with the people who stayed back in Kashmir valley despite un-favourable conditions,” he said.
The APSCC chairman said that scores of families of Muslims, Sikhs and other communities had to migrate from rural areas to urban areas and as such they were deprived of their livelihood. “These people had to give up on their assets in form of orchards and farms and take up menial jobs in the urban areas,” he said, adding that the APSCC doesn’t oppose job package to Pandit community but the same should be given to other communities of the Valley.
The APSCC Chairman said that prior to 1989 majority Muslim community were given just two percent jobs in Kashmir with the rest being “grabbed” by members of a particular community. He said that same thing is likely to be repeated with Government of India announcing packages and sops for a privileged lot.
The APSCC Chairman said that the issue was raised during the recent meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to Kashmir valley. He expressed disappointment that no headway whatsoever has been made with respect to giving minority status to Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir.
Follow our WhatsApp channel