Threat to J&K Sikhs: Parkash Singh Badal seeks PM's intervention

In the wake of the reported threats to Sikhs in Kashmir from militants to embrace Islam or leave the valley, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal today demanded prime minister Manmohan Singh's intervention in the matter.

A Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee delegation, led by its president Avtar Singh Makkar, would call on the PM tomorrow in connection with the threats to the minority community in Kashmir, he said.

Shiromani Akali Dal parliamentary party leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa would be part of the delegation, Badal said adding that his party would also vociferously raise the issue in Parliament.

The threat to Sikhs was a serious issue and the Prime Minister should intervene in the matter immediately, the Chief Minister said.

He said he had also written a letter to Manmohan Singh in this regard.

Badal said he had talked to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah twice asking him to provide adequate safety to Sikhs in the state.

Recently, Omar assured a delegation of Sikhs that all necessary steps would be taken by his government for economic and social security of the community.

The 60,000-strong Sikh community is the single largest minority group in Kashmir.