Nagpur: A delegation of Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Sikh Welfare Forum led by its president Balbir Singh Renu met Minister for Social Juctice Rajkumar Badole and submitted memorandum requesting OBC status to Ramgarhia Sikhs in Maharashtra.
Balbir Singh Renu informed Social Justice Minister that although Sikhs falls under minority sector; however Ramgarhia Sikhs are already included in Central List of Other Backward Classes (OBC) by National Commission for Backward Classes, a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Further more this status of OBC to Ramgarhia Sikhs is already given by union territories of Chandigarh and Delhi, the state of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Renu also submitted that Maharashtra too has substantial number of Ramgarhia Sikhs, who are either engaged in daily wages or running small workshops and are economically weak. Admittedly the creamy layer option will automatically exclude already well established Ramgarhia Sikhs from availing any facility under OBC as provided by state government.
Also present in the delegation vice presidents of forum Balvinder Singh Ply, Harjinder Singh Osan and Paramjeet Singh Wade, Joint Secretary Jaswinder Singh Sondh and members Chanchal Singh Renu, Ramandeep Singh Sondh and others.
