Sikhs to have minority status in Jammu and Kashmir: Advisor to J&K guv

Farooq Khan, advisor to Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik, on Sunday said that since the insurgency-hit state has come under Indian constitution after abrogation of Article 370, Sikhs will have minority status in the state. Khan was here to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, where Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal met him and handed over a memorandum seeking minority status to Sikhs and land for setting up Sikh mission in Jammu and Kashmir.

Farooq Khan, advisor to Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik, on Sunday said that since the insurgency-hit state has come under Indian constitution after abrogation of Article 370, Sikhs will have minority status in the state.

Khan was here to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, where Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal met him and handed over a memorandum seeking minority status to Sikhs and land for setting up Sikh mission in Jammu and Kashmir.

Replying to the second demand of SGPC for opening Sikh Mission in J&K, he said the demand will be examined soon.

“There are several places in J&K which touched Guru Nanak’s feet. Even the Guru used to meditate at Pathar Sahib Gurdwara in the state. All such places will be covered with the Nagar Kirtan,” he said, adding that the message of peace and perseverance will be spread in the valley.

“Leaders of Jammu Kashmir are also being released gradually. We are examining all the cases of house arrest separately and taking action accordingly. Many kashmiri leaders have already been released and remaining will released soon,” he said.

Replying on the grenade attack incident, he said one-off incident is not a big issue. The noose around the terror elements will be tightened further. “Our brothers in Punjab have suffered from militancy for long. Militancy in J&K is also similar, it will also end like it did in Punjab,” he added.

There are unprecedented security arrangements in the state and we have also opened the door for tourists, he said, adding that mobile services will also be restored in the Valley from Monday.

“We are preparing for establishing a chair in the name of Guru Nanak at Punjabi department of Jammu University. With this, a provision will be made to make research on Sikh gurus apart from Punjabi literature” he said.