Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Sept 5: Appealing to the Union Government to restore statehood, the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) provincial president and former Minister, Manjit Singh today expressed serious concern over shortage of employment opportunities in the ongoing situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
In this unprecedented situation, the Former Minister said that the youth have lost their hopes with the traditional political parties who have exploited them for decades.
“The youth in J&K have been left in despair because of false promises made by the previous Governments exploiting them emotionally and allegedly played with the future of the young generation,” said Manjit Singh, adding that Government jobs should be reserved only for locals.
In recently declared official languages of Jammu and Kashmir, the JKAP provincial president said that the Union Government unfortunately forgot to mention Punjabi language as one of the official languages of the Union Territory.
“We are deeply disappointed with the deliberate negligence of the Punjab language which represents a large section of Jammu and Kashmir. The Government of India should reconsider its decision and include Punjab language because their decision has affected many people belonging to all the communities, not only Sikhs,” said Manjit Singh.
He suspected that an attempt is being made to neglect the vast Punjabi culture which has no boundaries or identity with any particular religious ethnic group. “From Mirpur of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, to plains of Jammu to Kashmir Valley, we have Punjabi speaking people. The Government has disappointed many with the decision which needs to be reviewed before it is too late,” said the JKAP provincial president.
The Former Minister said that the Punjabi language needs support and recognition because it has played a vital role in Indian Independent struggle and Punjab speaking language people were ones who laid down their lives for the country.
Manjit Singh was speaking before over a dozen people who joined J&K Apni Party in Vijaypur expressing their faith in the leadership of Party president, Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari.
He again said that “There is strong resentment among the youth of J&K and the Union Government should not delay restoration of Statehood.”
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