Restore J&K's statehood before polls: Sikh body

Srinagar, October 4

A Sikh organisation on Tuesday described the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Jammu and Kashmir as an initiation of the electoral process in the Union Territory and demanded the restoration of its statehood before the conduct of the assembly elections.

In a statement, All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said Assembly elections can wait in J&K. “The restoration of statehood should be done at the earliest.

The people of J&K are yearning for the restoration of statehood and it will be apt to make an announcement about the same at the earliest,” Raina said. He urged the PM to take a lead in this regard.

“Addressing public rallies at Rajouri and Baramulla is a clear indication that the government of India wants to start the electoral process in J&K. The Union Government also wants to highlight its working in Kashmir so as to spell out its agenda for the forthcoming assembly elections,” he said.

The APSCC chairman said for the last one year or so, the BJP is pursuing its agenda with full force in Jammu and Kashmir. Issues like digitalisation, issuance of golden cards for availing free health services, free gas connection for BPL families and issuance of land passbooks to the land holders in J&K are likely to dominate the pre-election discourse in the Union Territory, he said.

Raina said the packages announced from time to time by the Centre have led to division among the various sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Gujjars have got political voice since a member of the community has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha while as Paharis have got 4% reservation,” he said.

The APSCC chairman said Kashmiri Pandits got a number of packages in the past. However, the Sikh minority community has got nothing with even centuries-old Punjabi language losing recognition in J&K, he added.