Excelsior Correspondent
-Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, Feb 25: Shiromani Akali Dal National has threatened that the Sikhs would vote against the ruling coalition partners if the Government does not declare the community as minority and extend National Minority Act of 1992 to J&K for reservation of seats in Legislative to have their representative character in the State.
Talking to media persons, here today, working president of SAD National, Gurdev Singh
expressed his anguish over the failure of present dispensation led by Omar Abdullah for continuously ignoring and depriving legitimate demands and benefits due to the minorities in the State by not extending National Minority Act 1992 thereby avoiding implementation of National schemes for the minorities, particularly Sikh minority community.
“Despite being ethnic minority community having distinct culture faith and religion, Sikhs have contributed immensely for the security and prosperity of the State but our legitimate demand of the minority status is continuously being ignored by successive Government,” he said.
The Akali leader alleged that they were being discriminated in employment, promotion, transfer and posting. “Representation has been denied to them in political structure and other different statutory bodies, commissions and committees constituted by the Government from time to time for overall development of the society. Punjabi language has not been given its proper place so far despite Cabinet order in 2001,” he lamented, adding that the displaced persons of 1947 from PoK, who include significant population of Sikhs, have not been given any relief package so far.
Expressing disappointment of the community, Mr Singh warned the Government that Sikhs would form a consensus by calling a convention in the first week of April, not to support both Congress and National Conference if NCM Act of 1992 is not extended to State in totality and implemented forthwith.
In the press conference, Gurdev Singh was flanked by Dayal Singh Wazir, Prof Amrik Singh Sathi and Prof Harbans Singh.
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