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Sikh
Marriage Act" - "SFJ" Submitted Memorandum to UN Seeking Intervention
"Proud to be Sikhs" Campaign
Launched
August 31, 2011
 Sikhs
for Justice (SFJ) approached United Nations by submitting Memorandum to
Honorable Heiner Bielefeldt, UN "Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or
Belief" demanding UN's immediate intervention to impress upon Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh's government to amend article 25 of the Indian Constitution to
restore the independent status of Sikhism.
In the latest move, 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. P.M. Manmohan Singh's Government's refusal to pass law for
separate registration of Sikh marriages is yet another instant of
discrimination based on religion towards Sikhs.
According to attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun legal advisor, Sikhs For
Justice, ever since the promulgation of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution,
Sikhs have opposed it and have demanded restoration of their religion's
separate status. However, the demand and struggle of Sikhs to have Sikhism
recognized as a separate religion has resulted in extreme repression by Indian
Government. Till today Indian Government does not recognize separate status of
Sikh religion and continue to usurp religious, political and economic rights
of Sikhs added attorney Pannun.
The memorandum submitted to UN states that that Article 25 of the Indian
Constitution violates Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN Declaration on
the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
Religion or Belief and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
all of which protect and promote all peoples right to have separate religious
identity.
SFJ launched the Campaign "Proud to be Sikh" at international level to collect
signatures, garner support and spread awareness among the world community
about the discrimination meted to Sikhs by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's
government.
According to Youth Coordinator, SFJ, Jatinder Singh Grewal, under the campaign
"Proud to be Sikhs", SFJ will approach United Nation member countries during
the upcoming General Assembly Session in New York to highlight the
discrimination faced by Sikhs in India on account of religion. Under "Proud to
be Sikhs" conferences and conventions will be held across the world to collect
"one million signatures" added Grewal.
Issued By:
Gurpatwant S Pannun,
Attorney at Law
Legal Advisor, Sikhs For Justice
Tel: 718-938-7801
Email:
gurpatwant.pannun@sikhsforjustice.org
| gurpatwant.pannun@gmail.com
Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue 59Tth Floor
New York, NY 10118
T: 212.601.2707 F: 212.601.2610
E: support@sikhsforjustice.org |
