Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 23: Aiming to address long-standing issues that have remained unresolved due to the failure of political leaders, the All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) today said that it would field candidates from within the Sikh community for the upcoming elections
Jagmohan Singh Raina, the Chairman of APSCC, made this announcement during a press conference, expressing disappointment with both the successive governments of J&K and the central leadership for their failure to address the concerns of the Sikh community.
“For many decades, we have presented the legitimate demands of the Sikh community to those in power, but these issues have remained unresolved. We have decided to change our strategy and will no longer support candidates from any political party,” stated Raina.
He further elaborated that a mass contact program would be initiated across J&K from next week to identify potential candidates, with a preference for local body elections, which could be announced at any time. During this initiative, community members will visit every village in the Kashmir Valley to engage with the Sikh community.
“Chief Ministers of the erstwhile J&K state and governors were contacted with the hope of a resolution, but our issues were consistently ignored. They were not willing to listen to our genuine demands, let alone find solutions,” lamented Raina.
He emphasized that instead of relying on political parties, the APSCC would promote candidates from within the Sikh community to ensure that power remains with the community itself and is not exploited as a mere vote bank.
In this context, APSCC intends to seek support from the majority community, as they have shared both joy and sorrow with the majority community during times of turmoil and crises.
“We have been with them through thick and thin, and we will seek their support for candidates where we believe our candidate has a fair chance of winning,” stated Raina.
He emphasized that the APSCC has decided to boycott political parties and their leaders, opting instead for young and energetic individuals from within the community.
Meanwhile, Raina referred to the ongoing India-Canada row as a “political gimmick” aimed at garnering votes in the elections, while noting that the Sikh community was an integral part of the country.
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