ASSAM CHIEF MINISTER SARBNANDA SONOWAL AGREES TO MANY DEMANDS OF SIKH COMMUNITY IN STATE
- SIKH DELEGATION LED BY MANJINDER SINGH SIRSA MEETS ASSAM CM
- SIKHS TO BE ACCORDED MICRO MINORITY STATUS
- ANAND MARRIAGE ACT TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN STATE
- SPECIAL TOUR OF DARBAR SAHIB AND OTHER GURUDWARS FOR ASSAMESE SIKHS
- APPOINTS NODAL OFFICER FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF MAJOR DEMANDS
- SANCTIONS RS. 5 CRORE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF COMMUNITY CENTRE AND EDUCATION COMPLEX
- APPROVES ALLOTEMENT OF 10 BIGHA LAND FOR SOCIAL WELFARE PROJECT
- THREE SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRES TO BE ESTABLISHED SOON
Guwahati, August 29 : Assam Chief Minister Mr. Sarbnanda Sonolwal today acceded to accord micro minority status to the sikh community in the state and provide various facilities for socio, economic and political upliftment of the sikh community in the state of Assam.
Decision in this regard was taken at a high level meeting between a Sikh delegation led by the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) General Secretary Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa and the Chief Minister today. The Delegation met Assam Chief Minister Mr. Sarabnanda Sonowal and presented him a memorandum demanding special status and facilities for the microscopic minority sikh community in the states. Assam Chief Secretary Vinod Kumar Pipersenia and Commissioner and Secertary to CM Mr. Sanjay Lohia were also present in the meeting.
Apart from Mr. Sirsa the sikh delegation comprised Mr. Kuldeep Singh Bhogal senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader, Partap Singh President local Gurudwara Committee and Indu Singh a social activist.
Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa informed that Chief Minister was very kind to accept major demands of the sikh community and he also appointed a nodal officer Mr. Rajesh Prasad IAS to coordinate implementation of these demands. He said that apart from other demands the Chief Minister has agreed to implement Anand Marriage Act in the state at the earliest, start service to enable the sikh community members to have darshan of Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar and other Gurudwaras in the state and also sanctioned an amount of Rs. 5 crore for building Community Centre and Eduation Complex in Nagaon. He said that Mr. Sonowal has also agreed to install a statue of General Chetanya Singh, the first sikh General who was sent by Maharaja Ranjit Singh during the Burmese attack on the state. He said that Chief Minister also approved allotment of 10 Bighas land for setting up social welfare project in Guwahati and also approved setting of three skill development centres as early as possible. He also accepted demand for renovation and restoration of historical gurudwaras in the state and asked the delegation to provide a list of the same.
This delegation briefed the Chief Minister about the invent of Sikhs and their settlement in Assam. The Chief Minister was informed how a community who are staunch Sikh by religion are on the verge of losing their identity due to challenges they have been facing both socially and economically. The Assamese Sikh Community of Assam is a community, which is there in the northeastern state for more than two centuries yet their existence has almost been ignored by the successive Governments. The delegation sought help of Chief Minister so that this microscopic minority and neglected community could come out of imminent danger of getting extinct and so that members of this historic community can stand on its feet to serve the country like any other citizen of India.
The delegation impressed upon the Chief Minister Mr. Sonowal to grant a special Status for the Microscopic Minority Sikh community for upliftment of their status socially, politically and economically. The deleglation demanded that a world class educational complex from primary to University level in Borkola, Nagaon be established for the community, special provision of reservation be made for the community in educational institutions and for employment in Govt job, reservation of seats in State Assembly, Rural and Urban local bodies, establishment of skill development centre in Sikh inhabited areas and a plot of suitable land measuring at least 10 Bighas be allotted in Guwahati and Nagaon for setting up social welfare project by Assamese Sikhs.
On the occasion the delegation also demanded that renovation work at Gurdwara Mataji be started immediately and a statue of General Chetan Singh should be installed. It also demanded maintenance of the historical Gurdwaras of Assam, which could be important tourist destination for the Sikhs Living outside Assam.
Mr. Sirsa informed that Assam Chief Minister Mr. Sarbnanda Sonowal gave a patient hearing to the delegation and on the spot announced that special status will be accorded to the micro minority sikh community besides accepting the other demands raised by the delegation.
He also assured that all the problems being faced by the minority community in the state will be looked into and their resolution will be ensured at the earliest. Mr. Sonowal lauded the efforts of the delegation who had brought to his notice the problems being faced by the community and assured all help to it.
Mr. Sonowal also said that their government was committed to ensure justice to all and provide equal opportunity to each and every section of the society. He said that government was committed for upliftment of minorities and safeguarding their rights.
