‘Will induct Sikh member in LA, Govt’
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 15: National Conference president and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today said that Centre must restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir without any more delay.
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Addressing a grand religious gathering, on the occasion of Gurpurab at Chand Nagar Gurdwara in Jammu today, the National Conference chief said the BJP led Central Government must restore the Statehood to the Jammu and Kashmir without any more delay. He said the Centre has already assured us the early restoration of Statehood and they must honour their commitment.
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“With the restoration of full fledged Statehood, our many issues will be resolved and the miseries of the people will be minimized. We will get rid of ‘Afsar Shahi’ in the Jammu and Kashmir,” the former Chief Minister asserted.
Referring to the demand projected by the DGPC members with regard to introduction of Punjabi language at all level and provide it due place like Kashmiri and Dogri, Farooq said Punjabi language deserve due place and his Government will do justice with it. He said earlier also it was he who as a Chief Minister introduced Punjabi in schools here. He suggested to introduce Artificial Intelligence subject in the Engineering College of the community at Digiana in Jammu as it has become important subject world over.
“Not only Punjabi language shall get its due place, but soon Sikh community will have its member not only in the J&K Legislative Assembly but also in the Government,” the NC president claimed.
“I am always in favour of teaching all the regional languages like Kashmiri, Dogri, Gojri, Punjabi etc. For the past some time now, Dogri is being diluted with the major influx of people from outside J&K,” Farooq added.
“The outsiders are taking away our lands, jobs of our youth in the factories and other segments. Even the local resources like sand, stones etc are being exploited and taken away by the outsiders. The local people have the right on the own resources. The contracts are being provided to the outsiders and the locals have been left to suffer. The people of J&K including Sikhs have to stand up and wage a struggle for their own rights. Nobody, gives up so easily, the people have to be vigilant and bold enough to struggle for their rights and getting justice,” the former CM asserted.
Dr Abdullah was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Forest Minister Javed Rana and provincial president for Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta. They highlighted the life and message of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his teachings of universal brotherhood.
Farooq praised the role of Sikh community in upholding the values of humanity and fostering communal harmony. He emphasized the importance of following Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s principles of selfless service, unity and compassion for building an equal and harmonious society.
He assured the Sangat and DGPC members that a meeting with the Chief Minister would soon be organized to address the community’s issues and reaffirmed that only elected bodies would be involved in all matters pertaining to Sikhs.
Earlier, DGPC vice president Balvinder Singh, raised burning issues of the Sikh community that have remained unaddressed so far.
He strongly demanded promotion of the Punjabi language by filling vacant Punjabi teacher positions, ensuring Sikh participation in the Assembly by granting political reservations similar to that provided to Kashmiri Pandits under the migrant quota and to another group from the Jammu region under the POJK quota, amending SRO 425 to accommodate Sikh youths in the valley within the special employment package under the non-migrant quota, making amendments to the Anand Marriage Act to remove the penalty clause, providing additional ex-gratia compensation to the next of kin of those killed in anti-Sikh riots at par with other riot victims across the country. A charter of demands was also submitted to the NC president by the Committee.
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