Sikh Panel Meets Pm On Anand Marriage Act

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http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110113/punjab.htm#6

Sikh panel meets PM on Anand Marriage Act

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 11

A delegation, led by DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna and RS Jaura, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to press for granting citizenship to Afghan Sikhs and Hindus of Indian origin and passing of the Anand Marriage Act.

In the absence of the Act, Sikh marriages have to be registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. “If Sikhs do not register the marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act, it attracts violation of the order of the Supreme Court according to which the registration of marriage is compulsory”, the delegation said.

“To maintain our independent identity, the Anand Marriage Act should be passed and rules should also be framed so that all matters of the community are settled under Sikh family law and not under any other law”, the delegation said.

The delegation also demanded granting citizenship to Afghan Sikhs and Hindus of Indian origin. They said after resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Afghan Sikhs and Hindus of Indian origin were left with no choice but to flee from there. They had been living here for the past 15 years but Indian citizenship had not been granted to them till, they added.

The leaders also demanded the scrapping of ‘blacklist’ of Sikhs living abroad. In a memorandum to the PM, they demanded that the matter should be resolved on priority.