STATE TIMES NEWS JAMMU: In reply to a RTI, it has been informed that a representation, highlighting numerous crucial issues faced by Sikh community in J&K, submitted by members of Sikh Progressive Front (SPF) to LG during a meeting, is presently not traceable in the LG’s Secretariat. It was stated by RTI Activist and President SPF, Balvinder Singh while addressing a Press conference in Jammu on Thursday. Giving further details, Singh said that SPF members called on LG J&K UT on March 4, 2021 to highlight certain important issues pertaining to Sikh Community and accordingly, a memorandum was also submitted to him highlighting in detail ten important points including some long pending issues of Sikh community, which included implementation of Minority Commission Act in J&K UT, non-inclusion of a member from Community in PSC, inclusion of Punjabi as an official language and non-inclusion of non-migrant Kashmiri Sikh youths in special Employment drive besides installation of statue of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Kunjwani Chowk etc. “The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere and every issue was discussed in detail. LG assured the delegation to consider all raised issues besides taking measures to redress them at the earliest. He even assured that a special employment package for non-migrant Kashmiri Sikh youths shall be announced shortly. Moreover, Raj Bhawan also issued a press release regarding the meeting held, which was published in leading local dailies,” he added. Singh further said that after passage of seven months, when a RTI was filed to enquire status of aforesaid representation submitted to LG and action taken on it, so that same can be followed with concerned departments, the forum was shocked to read the contents of response given by PIO Raj Bhawan, Deputy Secretary vide his letter dated October 30, 2021, informing that as per records available, the LG Secretariat had not received aforesaid representation. “We observed that higher hierarchy among bureaucrats especially those posted in Raj Bhawan like Principal Secretary, Principal Pvt Sec., Addl Principal Pvt Secretary, Special Secretary etc have adopted a casual approach towards important issues raised by various deputations, despite being taken seriously by LG,” said Singh, urging LG to issue necessary instructions for holding an enquire in the matter, so that faith of people can be restored. The SPF members have now decided to resubmit the aforesaid representation, by post, to LG with a hope that the highlighted issues would be taken up on priority. Others present on the occasion included Manjit Singh General Secretary SPF, Rajinder Singh Sudan Joint Secretary, Babu Singh President Kashmir Sikh Sangat, Harmohinder Singh President Displaced Kashmiri Sikh Conference, Jatinder Singh, Iqbal Singh and Manmohan Singh.
