Press Statement of BJP National President
Shri Rajnath Singh

BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh has expressed his concern over the media reports of atrocities and humiliation of Sikhs in Afghanistan. There is a miniscule minority of Sikhs now left in Afghanistan, as most of them had migrated to India in the face of Taliban rise earlier. It is reported that there were several incidents of atrocities on Sikh in Kandhar in recent days. It is strange that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or his government was unable to even register a protest on this issue to Mr. Hamid Karjai, President of Afghanistan, who had just visited India. Previously, whether it was the issue of destruction temple in Kazakhastan or it was the issue of banning use of turban in France, it seems that the present Union Government is highly insensitive to any issue hurting the sentiments of Hindu or Sikh community. On the other hand the government leaves not even slightest chance to react on any issue even remotely related to sentiments of other minority communities. This is glaring evidence of duplicity of the government stand on the issues related to the sentiments Sikhs on one hand and other minorities on the other hand.

He urged the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that he should react to this issue, which had hurt the sentiments of entire Sikh community. Shri Singh demanded that the government of India should exert strong diplomatic pressure on Afghan Government to ensure the safety and dignity of Sikh community living in Afghanistan.

(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge