AMRITSAR – All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) has demanded from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure support of UPA to the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2012 to amend the Article 25 of the constitution, which is coming up before the Parliament. The private bill proposed by Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) Member Parliament (MP) Ratan Singh Ajnala, seeks to drop Explanation II in Article 25, which defines Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism as components of the Hindu religion.
AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammad, said on Thursday that his organization had urged Manmohan Singh to issue a whip to Congress MPs to vote in support of “Constitutional Amendment Bill 2012″ to ensure its passage from the Parliament.
Amendment to Article 25 would provide separate status of Sikhism” he said while adding that National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) headed by the former Chief Justice of India, Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah had already recommended the government of India to amend the Article 25 of the Constitution for the separate status of Sikhism Federation Chief announced to approach the MPs from Congress, BJP, CPI, CPI(M), Janata Dal, Samajwai Party and other parties in the parliament reminding them of the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus who laid their lives to defend the religious freedom in India and urging them to support the “Constitutional Amendment Bill 2012”.
He also warned “If the parliament fails to amend the constitution to grant separate status to Sikhism, an international campaign will be launched to have plebiscite in India on this matter as per UN Convention on Civil and political rights”.
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