J&K Sikhs Protest for Inclusion of Panjabi Language; Rajoana Plea Rejected

October

2026

A protest by Sikhs of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) demanding inclusion of Panjabi as an official language of the union territory entered its 12^th day on 13 Oct. The protest started in Jammu and has spread to Srinagar and Baramulla. It is led by Chairman of Gurdwara Rani Talab, Digiana, Taranjit Singh Tony. The issue has come up against the backdrop of the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020. Under the Act, Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi, and English are recognized as official languages for official purposes in the union territory. Panjabi is not on that list. The demand for Panjabi’s inclusion dates back to the discussions around the language legislation in 2020. Sikh organizations had objected to Panjabi being left out of the proposed list of official languages and had held protests seeking its recognition. Sikh organizations again raised the issue in 2022. In 2024, a delegation of the J&K Sikh Coordination Committee also met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and raised issues concerning the Sikh community, including the promotion of Panjabi. Community representatives have also been seeking greater access to Panjabi education in government schools. They have argued that providing more opportunities to learn the language would help preserve its literary and cultural connection among younger generations. Meanwhile, the Indian union government has opposed a plea by death-row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana seeking commutation of the death sentence awarded to him in the 1995 assassination of former Panjab Indian National Congress Chief Minister Beant Singh. Rajoana, who has been in custody for more than 30 years, had approached the Supreme Court of India over the delay in deciding a mercy petition that has been pending before the President since 2012. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the union government, told a Bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath that the delay was due to the prevailing situation in Panjab. The Bench said it would proceed to hear the matter on merits on 28 Oct. Concurrently, Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has assured a four-member committee of the Quami Insaf Morcha (Community Justice Front) that the state government would pursue all possible legal and constitutional measures for an early resolution of the issue concerning Bandi Singh (Sikh prisoners) lodged in various jails for about 30 years (earlier coverage).