Sikh group protest in Srinagar, express concern over govt’s ‘step-motherly’ attitude

Srinagar, Oct 11: The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) on Sunday protested in the summer capital, Srinagar, against a government order giving concession in admission to migrants and non-migrants Kashmiri Hindus in higher educational institutes across the country.

Scores of APSCC members hit the streets at Press Enclave in Srinagar, demanding inclusion of the Sikh community in the Ministry of Education, Government of India, order that gives concession to Kashmiri pandits living in Kashmir and Kashmiri migrants.

Terming the order as a step-motherly attitude towards the Sikh community of J&K, APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said the party will show resentment towards these half backed policies of the state and central governments.

Holding placards and banner, which read, ‘Sikhs are ignored in Kashmir’, the protestors threatened to intensify the protest if their demands were not fulfilled. “The recent packages announced by the centre for J&K are for a select few. The order issued by the government that gives concession to Kashmiri migrant and non migrant pandits and Hindus is objectionable as it is discriminatory,” Mr Raina told reporters here on Sunday.

He said the order has ignored other minority communities, including Sikhs, in the Union Territory (UT). “Earlier also, the job packages announced by the centre were only for migrant and non migrant Hindus. Sikhs also live in the valley and have suffered during the last over three decades,” he said.

“Today’s protest is the register our concern over the exclusion of Sikhs in the packages announced by the centre for minorities in the UT,” he said, adding if their demands were not fulfilled they will be forced to intensify their protests.