All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) Chairman and J&K Apni Party leader Jagmohan Singh Raina on Wednesday described exclusion of Punjabi language from Jammu and Kashmir official languages Bill-2020 as an anti-minority move.
In a statement, Raina said Punjabi was “part and parcel of Constitution of J&K” before abrogation of Article 370. He said Punjabi was a recognized language duly certified by Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
Raina said the move has badly bruised the sentiments of minorities more so those belonging to Sikh community. He said Punjabi was a popular language in J&K spoken by lakhs of people.
“By excluding Punjabi language, government of India has taken an extreme step that is bound to cause resentment among minorities. The move is anti-minority and it is natural that people would react sharply to it,” said Raina.