Zorawar Singh Khalsa
Rajouri, May 24: Fourteen Sikh families in Pukhrni village, located barely a kilometer from the Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, have alleged discriminatory treatment and administrative apathy after being excluded from the government’s bunker allocation scheme—despite being within the vulnerable zone frequently targeted by cross-border shelling.
Pukhrni, the last village in India’s Qila Darhal tehsil, falls under the central government’s 2017-18 scheme to construct individual and community bunkers in border areas. The ₹415 crore initiatives sanctioned 14,460 bunkers across Jammu and Kashmir. However, while approximately 300 bunkers have been built for Muslim-majority households in the area, none have been allocated to the 14 Sikh families in Ward 1 of the village.
“These families have faced bullets and mortar shells just like others—are bombs selective?” questioned a local social worker. “Safety should be based on vulnerability, not religious identity.”
The issue came into sharper focus after shelling from across the LoC on May 8, 2025, damaged homes and injured livestock in the Sikh locality. Though no human casualties occurred, residents say the trauma is routine—and avoidable.
Prominent Sikh activists, including Jujhar Singh, Harbaksh Singh, Satnam Singh, and Ravinder Singh, have criticized the administration for neglecting the community’s long-standing demands. “Many of these families descend from freedom fighters and martyrs who served the nation in wars since 1947,” said Jujhar Singh. “Yet they are being treated as second-class citizens.”
Residents claim they have raised the issue multiple times during public grievance redressal meetings chaired by the Deputy Commissioner, but no action has followed. “Every time, we are told an inquiry will be conducted. Years have passed—nothing changes,” said one resident, echoing a sentiment of disillusionment.
“It’s not about religion, it’s about equality,” said a retired schoolteacher. “We are citizens of this country. Our children also deserve to live without fear. Why are our lives being valued any less?”
When contacted, a senior official from the Rajouri administration, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Bunker construction is done in phases based on threat perception and technical assessments. If any community has been inadvertently excluded, it can be looked into.”
However, local Sikh families contest this explanation. “How can every phase miss all 14 Sikh households? Are we invisible?” questioned Harjeet Singh.
Adding to the discontent are recent actions by the forest department, which has allegedly evicted several Sikh families from nearby areas while turning a blind eye to illegal encroachments by outsiders in forest zones like Thalka and Thandi Kassi.
When contacted, Pukhrni Sarpanch Shokat Choudhary acknowledged the concern, stating that the village has around 300 bunkers for a population of 3,000. “I have submitted five lists requesting approximately 350 more bunkers,” he said. However, he did not clarify why the Sikh households have consistently been left out so far.
With no resolution in sight, the Sikh families have now made a direct appeal to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Minorities Commission Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, urging their intervention.
“We are not asking for privilege, just for the protection every citizen deserves,” said Satnam Singh. “This is about justice, dignity, and the right to live without fear.”
