By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : A US-based Sikh community advocacy group has sought UN intervention to persuade India to pass a law for separate registration of Sikh marriages.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) Wednesday submitted a memorandum to UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Heiner Bielefeldt seeking UN intervention to impress India “to amend article 25 of the Indian Constitution to restore the independent status of Sikhism”.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government has refused to pass an act for registration of Sikh marriages while Muslims, Parsis, Christians and Jews of India already have separate acts for registration of their marriages, SFJ said.
The Indian “government’s refusal to pass law for separate registration of Sikh marriages is yet another instant of discrimination based on religion towards Sikhs”, it said.
SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun alleged the demand and struggle of Sikhs to have Sikhism recognized as a separate religion has resulted in extreme repression by Indian government.
SFJ has also launched a “Proud to be Sikh” campaign to collect signatures, garner support and spread awareness among the world community about the alleged “discrimination meted to Sikhs by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government”.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])