SPF resents BJP’s Sankalp Patar 2024 for ignoring Sikh Community in JKUT
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Balvinder Singh, renowned RTI activist and President Sikh Progressive Front (SPF) along with Manjit Singh Gen Secretary, Rajinder Singh Sudan Jt Secretary while addressing the media showed great resentment for not including any demand/grievances of the Sikh Community in the 25 Commitments made by BJP in their Sankalp Patar 2024.
Singh said party who came to power on the Slogan of Sabka Sath Sbka Vishwas And Sabka Vikas, given by none other than the Prime Minister of India its 45 pages Sankalp Patar didn’t mention the name of Sikh in it.
Moreover, they further stated that it is surprising that out of 11 designated members of Manifesto Committee there are four Muslims, three Rajputs, two Hindus and two from Pandit Community but not included a single member from the Sikh Community, despite the presence of good number of Community members in the BJP since decades.
Singh recalled Press Conference organized by SPF four months ago in which all members once again urged upon all Political Parties to not only incorporate Sikh demands/grievance, which are lying pending since long, in their Election manifesto but to give written Commitment in the public domain for their redressal if they come to power, because every successive govt failed to redress the just and legitimate grievances of the Sikhs.
Balvinder once again elaborated their demands on which they wanted written commitment from the Parties : Political reservation for Sikhs akin to the provisions made for SC, ST, OBC, Paharis, Gujjars, and Pandit Community either under migrant Quota or POJK Quota, to ensure Sikh representation in the State Assembly (Two seats One from Jammu and one From Kashmir), inclusion of Sikh Youths of Valley in Special Employment Package given to Pandits under SRO 425 by making amendment in SRO-412, Introduction of Punjabi as Compulsory Subject, as it was prior to the 1982 Educational Policy, and its incorporation into the JKUT Official Language Bill, Setting Up Minority Commission IN Jammu & Kashmir, Providing Additional Ex-gratia Compensation to the NOK’s of those 14 peoples killed in anti Sikh Riots of 1989 at par with compensation provided to other riot Victims in the Country, Granting of OBC status to 55000 Sikhs Living in Valley, Installation of the Statue of Baba Banda Singh Bahadhur at Kunjwani Chowk.
SPF urged upon the community members to cast their vote only in favour of the Party who gives written assurances/written commitment for the fulfillment of above mentioned Sikh demands, in public domain, and don’t fall prey to the false promises made by individual members from the Sikh Community affiliated to different Political Parties from the Sikh Community, as Sikhs are being deceived by every political party since long.
Other prominent persons of SPF who were present in the Press Conference were Surjeet Singh Retd JKAS, Satpal Singh, Babu Singh, T.P Singh, S Harmohinder Singh President Displaced Kashmiri Sikh Conference, Tejinder Singh, Iqbal Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Manmohan Singh, Satinder Pal Singh, Pritam Singh, M.S Reen, S Ravinder Singh Bitta, Adv Kuldip Singh.
