Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh

Resolutions Passed in the Annual Seminar 2009

Resolution 1

It is resolved at the seminar on the theme “Sikhs Living in States Other Than Punjab” conducted by the Institute of Sikh Studies , Chandigarh held on October 24-25, 2009 as under:-

1. Sikh Communities like Sikligars should be recognized as Sikhs and further be accorded the Status of Minority by all the States in their Gezette Notification adopting a uniform criterion.
The Central Government should implement effectively the recommendations of the National Commission for the Denotified tribes taking into consideration the findings of a study conducted by Sardar H S Josh, Ex-member of the National Commission for Minorities.
Majority of Sikligar, Vanaras and other have not received any assistance on housing, BPL schemes of welfare, adequate potable water and power supply. All those classes of Sikhs who fall under the BPL State must be recognized and special agencies appointed by the State Governments and the Central Government to include them in all schemes floated for Below Povety Line (BPL) population in the Country.
These people have almost no sanitary facilities and no waste disposal schemes. Their living standards are primitive and unhygienic and deserve instant relief from the respected State Government.
The BPL Sikhs must be afforded educational and medical facilities within reach and small scale industrial ventures on cooperative basis for their mass benefit. Government scheme like Old age Pension and widow pension are not applied to them.
At present, these Sikh catagories and tribe are not even recognized as existing. This condition requires immediate remedial measure.

Resolution 2

It is resolved at the seminar on the theme “Sikhs Living in States Other Than Punjab” conducted by the Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh held on October 24-25, 2009 as under:-

Wherever Sikh are living outside Punjab, they should learn local language and do parchar and spread Guru's Word in that language for the benefit of the residents of the State.

Resolution 3

It is resolved at the seminar on the theme “Sikhs Living in States Other Than Punjab” conducted by the Institute of Sikh Studies , Chandigarh held on October 24-25, 2009 as under:-

Sikhism is neither ethnicity nor region bound. It is multi-ethnic and pluralistic religion. The migrant Punjabi Sikhs should respect the cultural traits and ethnic characteristic of the indigenous Sikhs of a particular state and should not call them by derogatory names like “Nakli Sikh” or “Kachey Sikhs”. Efforts should be made for mutual understanding and respect to achieve Panthic unity.

Resolution 4

It is resolved at the seminar on the theme “Sikhs Living in States Other Than Punjab” conducted by the Institute of Sikh Studies , Chandigarh held on October 24-25, 2009 as under:-

Even after 62 years of independence, a large section of the country’s denotified tribes (DNTs) and communities continue to remain out of the census list, as they are not registered as primary residents. The last community-wise census of these tribes was done during the colonial rule in 1931. Since then, only projections have been used to arrive at an estimate of their population. While some of these communities are classified as Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes (OBC’s), others do not find mention in any of these categories. The Sikh population can be further augmented by inclusion of these numbers.

Resolution 5

It is resolved at the seminar on the theme “Sikhs Living in States Other Than Punjab” conducted by the Institute of Sikh Studies , Chandigarh held on October 24-25, 2009 as under:-

An awareness campaign should be started among various Sikh institutions in and outside Punjab to educate Vanjaras, Sikligars and other Nanak Panthic families to get themselves enumerated as followers of Sikh faith only instead of mentioning as belonging to any other clan during forthcoming 2011 General Cencus. The demographic statistics reflects on the constitutional rights of a minority community. Political discrimination were often practiced by the enumerators in past census 2001 while recording the Vanjaras as ‘Rajput’ and enlisting them under undefined ‘others’ column. The Minority Affairs Ministry of Government of India is allocating funds under various minority development schemes in proportion to their accredited population as per census figures of notified minorities.

Resolution 6

It is resolved at the seminar conducted by the Institute of Sikh Studies , Chandigarh held on October 24-25, 2009 as under:-

The Sikh orgaizations in some of the states have development models for socio-economic upliftment, education and empowerment of Silkiars etc. We need to collect information on the models being implemented in different States and then develop an integrated model comprising of all relevant components like land allocation, housing, health, employment, education and empowerment.

Drafting of a suitable model constitution/regulations of NGOs at district and state levels for addressing the issues of and imparting education and empowerment to the Sikligars etc.

Setting up of a mother NGO on the lines of SOSVA to support the activities of the state level NGOs and to undertake liaison with state governments and the concerned Ministries of the Central Govt.

Organization of an annual consultation conclave with the state level NGOs by the Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh for reviewing the problems and progress in availing the benefits under the various programs by the Sikhs, especially Sikligars/Vanjaras, living as a minority community in various states.

Resolution 7 & 8 (Punjabi)