Srinagar (August 18, 2012): All India Sikh Students Federation (Peermohammad) declared that only demand and goal of Sikh community should be amendment of Article 25 of the Indian constitution which usurps the separate identity of Sikhism. Karnail Singh Peermohammad, President AISSF (Peermohammad) attended the national level ethnic conference in Srinagar in which he raised the demand of Separate status of Sikhism as religion in India.
Taking a strong note of the discrimination Sikh community is facing in J&K, Peermohammad stated that It is more than twelve years when Sikhs were brutally murdered at Chattisinghpora but unfortunately successive governments have failed to appoint a commission that can investigate the role of Indian security forces in the massacre”. “Sikhs should not only demand claims for damages and employment opportunities but should also focus on the demand for restoration of their fundamental rights that have been systematically subjugated by the Indian Government” added Peermohammad.
It’s ironic that while Prime Minister and Chief of Indian Army both happen to be Sikhs, “the very constitution to which they have taken oath to protect and uphold does not recognize the separate identity of the religion they belong to”, stated Peermohammad. “Constitution of India is the only constitution in the world that claims to be secular and yet defines religion and undermines separate identity of Sikhism”. The Government of India should implement the recommendation of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) headed by the former Chief Justice of India, Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah to amend the Article 25 of the Constitution to restore the separate status of Sikhism.
AISSF (Peermohammad) declared to launch a national campaign in order to bring Sikh community on one platform regarding amendment to Article 25 of the Indian constitution.