Sikh group demands minority status for community in J&K

A Sikh organisation today lashed out at the ruling PDP for not taking steps on granting minority status to the the community in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded that the National Commission for Minorities Act be extended to the state.
"The PDP had in its election manifesto promised to grant minority status to the Sikh community of Jammu and Kashmir state, but three years have passed and nothing has been done," the All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) said in a statement.
The organisation said Sikhs had voted for the PDP but have been ditched after the election.
"Further inaction on this demand will create more estrangement between the Sikh community and the Jammu and Kashmir government," it said.

The Sikh group demanded that the National Commission for Minorities Act be extended to Jammu and Kashmir.
The APSCC also demanded that the Central Government take "serious note" of the situation prevailing in Kashmir.

"The state continues to be in the grip of unrest over reports of killings, injuries, imprisonment of civilians, and burning of schools and official buildings. Maintaining silence on such issues will further aggravate the resentment of people and lead to the worsening of an already precarious situation," APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said.
Raina said the state government should also step up efforts to control the situation.

"If the government continues to deal with the situation as it has been doing so far, there will be apprehensions of the situation getting out of hand," he added.
Raina urged the central and state governments to make efforts to address the grievances of the people and to create a congenial atmosphere for sincere talks among all stakeholders.
"Measures such as withdrawal of the Public Safety Act (PSA) that has been slapped on many civilians will help in creating such an atmosphere of trust and conciliation," he said.