Sikh Marriage Act SFJ's Memorandum to UN Seeking Intervention

From SikhiWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

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

T 718-938-7801 E: [email protected] | [email protected] Newspaper Coverage:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/US-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-Sikh-marriages/articleshow/9827127.cms http://news.outlookindia.com/printitem.aspx?733217 http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Centre-says-no-to-separate-Sikh-Marriage-Act-SAD-to-meet-PM/839594/ http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110831/punjab.htm#3 http://in.news.yahoo.com/us-group-seeks-separate-registration-sikh-marriages-050835917.html http://www.deccanherald.com/content/187710/us-group-seeks-separate-registration.html http://www.southasianews.com/702241/US-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-Sikh-marriages.htm http://www.sikhnet.com/news/sikhs-upset-center-says-no-separate-sikh-marriage-act http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a244025.html http://www.india-forums.com/news/america/355608-us-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh-marriages.htm

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/us-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh-marriages_100560572.html

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=114215 http://twocircles.net/2011sep01/us_group_seeks_separate_registration_sikh_marriages.html http://www.nerve.in/news:253500417107 http://www.pravasitoday.com/us-sikh-group-seeks-separate-marriage-registration http://www.sarkaritel.com/viewnews.php?news_id=1904&cate_id=4 http://www.facenfacts.com/NewsDetails/14915/us-group-seeks-un-intervention-in-registering-sikh-marriages.htm http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/US_Group_Seeks_Separate_Registration_of_Sikh_Marriages-nid-90040-cid-1.html http://headlinesindia.mapsofindia.com/social-interest-news/marriage/us-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh-marriages-89966.html http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=NewsDetails&NewsID=58372 http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/international/general/3_5_8140849.html/print/ http://maninblue1947.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/the-tribune-sikh-marriage-act-high-priests-to-meet-on-september-8/ http://www.inewsone.com/2011/09/01/us-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh-marriages/72707 http://article.wn.com/view/2011/09/01/US_group_seeks_separate_registration_of_Sikh_marriages/ http://www.thetop.in/news/us-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh-marriages http://www.aechmedia1.com/blog/u-s-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh-marriages/ http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/ http://www.kirpan.com/2011/09/01/sikhs-upset-as-center-says-no-to-separate-sikh-marriage-act/ http://www.ians.in/index.php?param=category/42 http://friendfeed.com/imc-usa/a5545b5e/us-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh http://www.tollfree800legal.com/news/latest-law-news.cfm?Next-News-ID=14997568&start=101 http://newshopper.sulekha.com/us-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh-marriages_news_1341133.htm http://connect.in.com/manmohan-singh/news-311-1-2.html http://www.anhourago.in/show.aspx?l=23364155&d=502 http://www.silobreaker.com/press-india-for-separate-religion-status-sikh-group-to-un-5_2264820849930404018 http://www.indiavision.com/news/article/international/224635/us-group-seeks-separate-registration-of-sikh-marriages/