US Sikh Body Commends Obama’s Religious Tolerance Remarks

2015-01-31 - obama

NEW YORK, USA—While welcoming the US President’s reminder to India about the importance of religious freedom, Sikh For Justice (SFJ), which recently campaigned asking Obama to raise the issue of Article 25 (b), commended his stance on chances of India being splintering on religious lines, if they continue to deny religious freedom to the minorities.

Obama’s advise to India to protect religious minorities comes at a time when controversy regarding Article 25(b) of the constitution which labels Sikhs as Hindus is already reignited and RSS-BJP run government is being criticized for launching “Home Coming” to forcibly convert Muslims and Christians to Hindus.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to SFJ stated that “we respect the invaluable lesson on religious freedom to India by President Obama and commend him for being the voice of American Sikhs who had urged him through online petition to raise the issue of labeling of Sikhs as Hindus under Article 25(b)”.

“Paying heed to President Obama’s hard hitting lesson on religious freedom, India must ensure that Sikhs of Punjab are granted the opportunity to exercise right to self determination through referendum”. “As a distinct religious minority, exercising the right to self determination is vital for Sikhs to freely profess, practice and propagate their religion” added Pannun.

An online petition filed by SFJ urging Obama to question PM Modi ‘Why Indian constitution labels ‘Sikhs’ as Hindus?’ and raise the issues of ‘Sikh Genocide’ and ‘Sikhs’ Right to Self-determination”, has gained more than 125,000 signatures and is awaiting White House response.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Sat Sri Akal

    I warmly request all our Sikh brothers and sisters who are fighting for Sikh rights and sikh justice in india to come in india first. It is india from whom we have to take our rights..it is india from whom we have to get justice not US. So you have to come in india and then continue the fight. Shouting various slogans from there only like about Khalistan..about Sant Bhindrawale…about 1984 genocide…will not have much impact because you people are shouting in us…canada… Uk… Etc.. My dears you must come in india first then shout for our rights….

    You people are living there & enjoying luxurious lives and shouting slogans from there only….. You must come here.. Feel and face the problems in punjab and then shout against govt for problems and solution.
    You people are enjoying and shouting slogans and here whole punjab is suffering through drugs and all…. Specially the youth is in drugs….

    So please come here and then continue fight. Shouting slogans from there only is not a solution. For example if you want some milk either you have to go to market to buy it or the milk man has to come to your home. In the same way either you come to india to take justice and rights because india itself will not come to your place to give you something.

    Bhullan chukkan lye shama karna… Daas di email id v correct hai aur naam bhi. Contact no. – +918909131313, +918958131313

  2. converting moslems to hinduism is justified but converting christians to hinduism is not. first one is the forced conversion and are being forced to reconvert, the second (christians) one is “conversion by choice”. so let there be ‘freedom of choice’, India.
    no other minority in India suffers which follows any “made in India” religion, though all gods are man made!

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