KL Report
SRINAGAR
Prominent Sikh organization, All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) Friday urged upon its community to boycott both National Conference and the Congress party in the Assembly elections and asked them to vote for Peoples Democratic Party.
Talking to Srinagar based news agency CNS, Chairman APSCC, Jagmohan Singh Raina said that coming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is a decisive one for the Sikh community and it will decide their fate.
“National Conference has cheated the Sikh Community and the front-runner in this is the Congress. We voted for National Conference in 2008 Assembly elections as this party promised us that Sikhs will be granted minority status, but from last six years this party (NC) did nothing in this direction,” Raina said that APSCC will soon convene a meeting and will appeal the Sikh community not to vote for National Conference and Congress.
“Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir have been facing numerous problems but both National Conference and Congress party showed cold response and failed to address these problems. “Leave aside the granting of minority status, NC even did not add Punjabi language in curriculum as it had promised to us during 2008 Assembly elections,” he said.
Jagmohan Singh Raina said that during a meeting at Chief Minister’s office, the government had made many promises to APSCC but all those promises proved hollow. “There are 2500 Sikh votes in Beerwah Constituency where Omar Abdullah is contesting for the first time and I am telling you with authority that they are not going to vote for him. Similarly, there are large number of Sikh voters in constituencies like Amirakadal, Tral, Baramulla and Rafiabad which will play a decisive role in deciding the fate of the candidates,” he said.
Responding to question, Raina said that APSCC will not change it decision. “How can we believe in National Conference now? What this party will do for us in future when it did not do anything from last six years,” he said and added that Sikhs will support and cast votes in favour of Peoples Democratic Party.
He further added that in Jammu provinces, there are Sikh voters in large numbers in 8 Assembly Constituencies and APSCC will also appeal to them not to support National Conference and Congress party.
