Thaindian News

Chandigarh, Aug 30 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Tuesday slammed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) central government for rejecting the proposal of a separate Sikh Marriage Act for solemnising the marriages of the community.

In a statement issued here, Badal accused the central government of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs. He said the decision of the central government was “arbitrary”.

The Sikh community in general and the Shiromani Akali Dal in particular had been asking the central government for expeditious enactment of a marriage law for Sikhs on the pattern of other similar legislations covering Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Jews, he said.

“Despite personal assurance to our (Akali Dal) MPs from both the houses of Parliament by former law minister Veerappa Moily that the draft bill for Sikh Marriage Act was ready and would be sent for cabinet approval soon before being placed in parliament, the government has done a U-turn,” Badal said.

“The sudden U-turn by the government to outrightly abandon the said proposal not only tantamounts to a breach of trust but also torments the psyche of the Sikhs across the globe,” he said.

He blamed the Congress government for always taking a hard stand against the Sikh community, and added that comprehensive enactment of a Separate Sikh Marriage Act by amending the Anand Karaj Act, 1909, would go a long way in curbing the malpractice of deserting brides.

Badal asserted that the issue of immense social significance had been time and again raised by the ambassadors of Britain, Canada, Italy and the US with the Punjab government for resolving it permanently, and said the only ray of hope for registration of marriages under the amended act has been dashed.

These countries wanted a stronger law for the religion so that Sikh community members settled there could not easily desert their brides.