Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 20: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today issued notices to the State and Central Governments on a petition seeking probe into Chattisinghpora massacre of Sikhs in 2000 in South Kashmir district of Anantnag.
A division bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court comprising Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice M H Attar today issued notices to State and Central Government and all respondents seeking their response in 2 weeks.
Thirty six Sikhs were killed in Chattisinghpora in district Anantnag on March 20, 2000, a day before visit of the then president of United States of America (USA) to India.
Government said Lashkar-e-Toiba was responsible for the carnage and five LeT militants were claimed to have been killed who carried out the killings but they later turned out to be civilians.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the probe into the massacre has been filed by one Sardar Avtar Singh Sodhi of Mehjoor Nagar Srinagar with Advocate G M Wani as his counsel.
The State Government; Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; Commissioner Secretary General Administration Department; Commissioner Secretary Revenue; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India and chairman National Commission for minorities are the respondents of the PIL.
The PIL seeks conduct of an enquiry Into Chattisinghpora massacre, appointment of a Board for welfare of Sikh community in the State, appointment of a Commission to investigate the problems of Sikhs and to suggest appropriate measures for their improvement in social and economic sectors, introduction of Punjabi language departments in the University of Kashmir, financial assistance to deserving Sikh students for higher studies abroad, to earmark reservation for Sikhs of J&K in all state departments and all other institutions of Jammu and Kashmir including the Legislatures, Judiciary, executive and KAS, to delimit a Legislative Assembly constituency for Sikhs in the State, conducting of elections to Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee(s) in Kashmir, auditing of the last Gurudwara accounts throughout the State, providing similar benefits to Sikhs which other minorities are entitled to in rest of India under the National Commission for Minorities and measures be taken to promote the “Khalsa” community of Jammu and Kashmir.
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