AISSF holds signature camp on ‘Sikhs are not Hindus’ plea

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 20

The All India Sikh Students’ Federation (AISSF), led by Karnail Singh Peermohammed, today organised a signature camp for its “Sikhs are not Hindus” petition outside the Golden Temple here. The SGPC also came out in support of the campaign.

The AISSF intends to take up the matter with US President Barack Obama prior to his India visit next month and urge him to raise the issue with PM Narendra Modi. To elicit a response from the Obama Administration, the petition on the issue of Article 25(b) of the Indian Constitution must be signed by one lakh persons by December 31.

Claiming the Sikhism to be the world’s fifth largest religion with over 30 million followers, the petition states that “on January 26, 1950, the Constitution of India was enforced without the consent of Sikhs who refused to sign it because Explanation II to Article 25(b) of the Constitution labels Sikhs as Hindus”.

Peermohammad said, “While the RSS-BJP combine, after coming to power, has reignited a campaign to label Sikhs Hindus, we resolved at Akal Takht to take the issue of Article 25 (b) to the grass-root level in Punjab.”

He said signature camps in support of the petition would also be held at Fatehgarh Sahib on December 26, 27 and 28. The effort would continue throughout the state to get the required one lakh signatures.