MP, Mah Govts denying minority certificate to Sikhs, NCM told

New Delhi, Aug 26 (UNI) The Sikh community in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra has complained to the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) that their state governments were not issuing them minority certificates beacuse of which they could not enjoy certain benefits meant for them.

The complaints were made to NCM Member Harcharan Josh who is on a visit of Indore and Nagpur.

The Sikhs who met Mr Josh in the two cities also told him that they were not getting the benefits of the Sachar Committee recommendations and the Prime Minister's 15-point programme.

Mr Josh assured them that he would take up the issue of the minority certificate and other issues raised by them with the state governments concerned.

In Indore, Mr Josh also had a meeting with the Sikligar and Vanjara Association delegation to discuss about their problems. He told them, a study was in progress about these communities and it was likely to be completed by October 2008 on the occasion of 300th years of Gur-ta-Gaddi Diwas.

The NCM Member later had a meeting with the state government officials in connection with the compensation to the victims of the recent communal incidents that took place in Indore. The Local Administration said that state government had already paid the compensation to the victims. They are waiting for the compensation amount from the Central Government for the victims of June-July 2008 communal violence. They also said they had made some arrests against those people who were responsible for the riots.

In Nagpur, the Sikhs demanded that their children be given same facilities as were being given to Muslims in various affairs of life.

UNI NAZ JT RN1620