Jammu, Mar 11: Apni Party Provincial President Jammu and former minister, S Manjit Singh on Monday appealed to the government to set up a Minority Commission for the socio-economic upliftment and welfare of the minority communities in Jammu and Kashmir.
He raised this demand in a meeting organized by the Provincial President of Women Wing Jammu, Pavneet Kour, the party said in a statement, adding that in the meeting, Inder Pal Singh was announced by Manjit Singh as Minority Wing District President from R.S. Pura (Jammu Rural-B).
While congratulating Inder Pal Singh for his appointment, the former minister hoped that his efforts would strengthen the party at the grassroots level, and he would work for the upliftment of minorities.
In his address, Singh said the minorities were ignored regarding the implementation of their rights that were assured and protected by the constitution of the country. However, these rights were assured by the traditional political parties from time to time, but they did not implement the Minority Commission in J&K, he alleged.
To empower and uplift the socio-economic status of the minorities in J&K, he demanded a Minority Commission in Jammu and Kashmir in favour of the minorities. “The previous governments failed to set up the Minority Commission in J&K,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Apni Party leader demanded that the Punjabi language should be recognized as one of the official languages in Jammu and Kashmir and that cultural heritage should be protected and promoted.
He said the Punjabi language is spoken across the Jammu region by a vast population and even in certain areas of the Kashmir region. The literature and cultural heritage also exist in the Punjabi language that needs to be protected and promoted.
Singh demanded reservation of the Sikh Community in the legislative assembly of Jammu and Kashmir each from Jammu as well as Kashmir.
