For Sikh institutions, Sikhs in Karnataka seek govt help

AMRITSAR: The Sikh community in Karnataka, feeling overlooked by successive governments, has decided to engage with Sikh organizations, governmental bodies, and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) to secure representation, establish Sikh institutions, and promote the Sikh religion in the state.Baljeet Singh, a member of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, noted that Karnataka has a Sikh population of around two lakh. Despite this significant number, the community lacks government representation and support for establishing Sikh institutions.He argued that while the smaller Sikh population may limit their success in assembly or parliamentary elections, they should still be considered for nomination as Members of the Legislative Council (MLC). Furthermore, he emphasized the need for Sikhs to receive appropriate representation through nominations to village councils, municipalities, city corporations, and state boards, particularly for Kannada-literate Sikhs.Baljeet mentioned that they proposed the creation of a Sikh Development Council or Corporation with an annual budget of Rs 100 crore to promote the Sikh religion in Karnataka. Additionally, Kannada Sikhs have urged the chief minister to allocate Rs 25 crore for the reconstruction and development of the Ulsoor gurdwara. He pointed out that there is currently no state holiday for the parkash purab of Guru Nanak Dev in Karnataka.“We have also requested land and buildings for establishing schools, colleges, and hospitals managed by the Sikh community, including about 100 acres in and around Bangalore for a residential colony for Sikhs, but to no avail,” Baljeet said.Expressing disappointment over the historical neglect of the Sikh community by successive governments in Karnataka, he affirmed their commitment to the cause. They plan to collaborate with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee to draw the Karnataka government’s attention to their demands.“We will once again approach the Karnataka chief minister and the NCM Chairman to raise our issues, and we expect Sikh organizations to support our cause,” Baljeet said.