The Jammu-Kashmir Sikh Coordination Committee, under the dynamic leadership of S. Ajit Singh, extends heartfelt gratitude to the J&K UT administration under Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor Sh. Manoj Sinha ji and Hon'ble Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi ji for their prompt response in fulfilling the commitment by nominating S. Rajiv Singh, Prof & Head, Division of Vet. Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, SKUAST-J, as a member of the J&K Public Service Commission. This appointment addresses the long-pending demand of the Sikh Community for representation in the J&K PSC, which had lacked a Sikh member for over five years.
The Committee appreciates the J&K administration's steps to acknowledge the sentiments of the Sikh Community by appointing a Sikh intellectual of high caliber and dignity to the J&K Public Service Commission. This move is seen as a significant boost in building the community's confidence in the J&K administration.
Key achievements lauded by the Committee include:
Implementation of the Anand Marriage Act
Installation of the statue of Baba Gurbaksh Singh Ji (Baba Banda Singh Bahadur) in Jammu
The Committee urges the Government of India and the J&K LG Administration to address the following pending demands of the Sikh Community:
Gurudwara Sahib Properties: Transfer properties of Gurudwara Sahib, currently managed by caretakers without ownership rights, to the District Gurudwara Parbandhak Committees, in line with the Sikh Gurudwara Endowment Act 1973.
Statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji: Install a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji in Srinagar to honor the ruler who annexed Kashmir with India in 1814, fostering a sense of nationalism and pride in Sikh history.
Assembly Seat Reservation: Reserve at least 10% of assembly seats for the Sikh Community within the quota for POJK refugees in the J&K Assembly.
Minority Benefits: Implement Minority Commission recommendations and constitute a Minority Commission in J&K UT to extend constitutional benefits to the Sikh Community.
Punjabi Language: Include Punjabi as an official language in J&K UT, integrating it into the educational curriculum from pre-primary to university levels, along with the creation and recruitment of Punjabi teaching posts.
SRO 425 Benefits: Extend all benefits of SRO 425 to the Sikh Community in the Kashmir valley to strengthen their presence and confidence in the region.
Regularization of Refugee Settlements: Grant ownership rights to refugees of POJK in their inherited bastis and resolve issues under section 254-C and cases pending in various Tehsil offices.
ST Category for Sikhs in Baramulla: Include Sikhs in District Baramulla in the Pahari ethnic group under the ST category, as per official recommendations.
The Commitee's press conference emphasized the need for the government to swiftly address these demands to further support and integrate the Sikh Community in J&K UT.