Sikh outfits demand minority commission in J&K

Sikh outfits demanded that J&K government set up a minority commission to ensure that the rights of the community are protected.

Jammu: Sikh outfits on Monday demanded that Jammu and Kashmir government set up a minority commission to ensure that the rights of the community are protected. "We appeal to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to immediately issue notification for the formation of minority commission in J&K State," chief patron of J&K Sikh Societies Amalgamate Gurdeep Singh Sasan told reporters. He said that the J&K State is not covered by National Minority Commission (NCM) Act 1992 whose section 1(2) states that the Act extends to the whole of India except of J&K and so the Sikh community is deprived of many benefits meant for minority communities in the country.

Sasan demanded an amendment in NCM Act 1992 to make it applicable to J&K. Sasan also appealed to the government to ensure that amendment to Anand Marriage Act is validated in J&K. He said that the state assembly must approve the central amendment thereby giving the opportunity to Sikhs to register their marriages under Anand Marriage Act. PTI