America
White House response admits “religious freedom†issue in India: SFJ
Washington
DC (February 20, 2015)
The White House issued an official response to rights
group’s petition “Sikhs Are Not Hindus†stating that “During his recent trip to
India, the President
discussed the importance of religious freedom and tolerance in India on January 27 during his speech at Siri
Fort in New Delhiâ€.
“President Obama underscored that India's success depended on the
nation not being "splintered along the lines of religious faith."
White House response further stated.
February 20 White House’s official response indicates that
President Obama’s speech to a select audience at Sri Fort New Delhi on the
issue of religious intolerance in India
was in fact an acknowledgement of the religious freedom issue raised in Sikh
group’s petition filed ahead of US President’s visit to India.
“Sikh For Justice†(SFJ), a US based human rights group on
Dec 1 filed a petition with over 125,000 signatures asking President Obama to
“Question Modi "WHY Indian constitution labels "Sikhs" as
Hindus?" while attending Constitution Day events on January 26â€.
Commending President Obama’s principal stand on equal status
to all religions, legal advisor to SFJ Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, stated that
“White House’s response to Sikh group’s petition is yet another reminder to PM
Modi that India’s
success depends on giving all religious communities freedom and right to
profess, practice and propagate their faith without the fear of persecutionâ€.
While Obama in his speech in India
clearly affirmed the equal status for Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains and
Budhists in America,
PM Modi in his February 17 response on religious tolerance failed to address
the issue of Article 25(b) which labels “Sikhs†as “Hindusâ€, added Pannun.
While welcoming Prime Minister Modi’s February 17 statement
condemning religious based violence, the White House response states that
"In both our countries, in India
and in America,
our diversity is our strength." We are committed to working with India
to reaffirm this principle not just within our own countries but around the
world.â€
Right group’s petition to President Obama stated that “January 26, 2015 marks the 65th year of Sikhs' struggle for right to self-determination, for which Sikhs have been subjected to “Genocide" with impunity, starting from; June 1984, Military action against Golden Temple; November 1984, Organized killing of over 30,000 Sikhs; and 1984-98, extra-judicial killing of over 100,000 Sikhsâ€.