A delegation of Sikh leaders on Sunday met with Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and demanded minority status for the Sikhs in the State for their socio-economic upliftment.
"A delegation of Sikh leaders met the Chief Minister and expressed concern over the discrimination and negligence of various Governments in resolving the issues faced by the community ever since the turmoil erupted in the State," Chairman, All Parties Sikh Coordination Community (APSCC), Jagmohan Singh Raina, who led the delegation, said in a statement here.
He said the major demand of the delegation was to ask for minority status for the Sikh community for their socio-economic upliftment.
Raina said the provision of National Commission of Minority Act was yet to be implemented in the State, much to the disappointment of the community members.
"Sikhs being a microscopic community in Jammu & Kashmir have to fight for their minority status despite the fact that they are considered as a minority in India under the Minority Act of National Minority Commission of India 2C of 1992 along with other communities, including Muslims, Buddhists and Christians," he said.
The APSCC chairman said during the campaign for the 2014 Assembly elections, PDP had promised to grant the minority status to Sikhs as per the guidelines of the National Commission for Minorities Act.
"Granting of Minorities Act was itself part of the election manifesto of the PDP," he said, adding they reminded the Chief Minister of the same.