Sikhs demand minority status
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 5: Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, the founder of Sikh Panth, was celebrated with great religious fervour and enthusiasm across the State today.
Since early morning, great rush of Sikh community members was witnessed at various Gurdwaras in Jammu, Srinagar and other places across the State. These religious places were highly decorated by the management committees of these Gurdwaras on the occasion of Gurpurab (Birth-day of Guru Gobind Singh Ji).
In Jammu, the main function in this connection was held at Gurdwara Yadgaar Guru Nanak Dev ji, Chand Nagar, Lower Gumat. The programme was organised by the District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Jammu, in which the devotees from Jammu city and other parts of the district and the State participated in large number. Special prayers were offered by the Sikh Sangat and other members at the Gurdwara.
Prominent Sikh preachers and Ragi Jathas from within and outside the State delivered sermons and also recited Gurvani Path. The speakers threw light on the life, sacrifices and teachings of this great Guru, describing him as Saint soldier and poet who picked up sword to fight against the oppression and infused martial spirit within the people by soul inspiring heroic poetry.
Ragi Jathas of Bhai Harjot Singh Zakhmi, Bhai Sarabjit Singh Noorpuri from Jalandhar, Anand Bani Jatha from Baru Sahib- HP, Bhai Randhir Singh and Bhai Davinder Singh of DGPC Jammu and Bhai Jagtar Singh from Jammu, recited the Gurvani and sang devotional songs in the praise of great Guru.
Former, Chief Minister and NC president leader Dr Farooq Abdullah (MP), Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, DC Jammu Ramesh Kumar and DIG JSK Range, Vivek Gupta also visited the Gurdwara and offered special prayers. Dr Abdullah in his brief address, greeted the Sikh community and appealed the people of all the communities to maintain peace and sanctuaries old tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood in the State. He recalled sacrifices of great Guru and prayed for end to terrorism and bloodshed and restoration of permanent peace in the State.
Chairman, State Gurdwara Parbandhak Board (SGPB), TS Wazir ( Ex-MLC) greeted the people on this great occasion and urged upon the Governor’s Administration to fulfil the legitimate demands of the minority Sikh community in the State. He asked the Sikh Sangat and especially the youth to follow the path shown by the Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.
On this occasion, several resolutions highlighting religious, social and political problems being faced by the minority community were adopted and passed by the Sikh Sangat. A copy of memorandum was later submitted to the Deputy Commissioner Jammu for the State Governor.
The major demands projected in the memorandum to the Government included- setting up of Minority Commission in the State and granting of minority status to Sikh community, settlement of refugees (POJK) issue, provision of job quota to their wards and Rs 30 lakh package per DP family; installation of statue of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Kunjwani Chowk and declare this crossing on the name of this warrior, inclusion of Sikhs living in Kashmir in SRO 425, implementation of Anand Marriage Act in J&K, provide justice to the victims of 1984 and 1989 anti-Sikh riots/ genocide and remove Kamal Nath as Chief Minister of MP as he was accused in the 1984 riots.
All the members of DGPC Jammu led by its president, Jagjit Singh besides other prominent Sikh leaders – Fateh Singh, Kuldip Singh, H S Raina and Raja Singh also spoke on the occasion. Reports of similar functions were received from various parts of the region.
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