HYDERABAD: Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat for Sikhs, while welcoming the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), said that the law would have been better had it included Muslims in the list of persecuted minorities.
The acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh who was in the city to take part in the ‘Shukrana Samagam’ — a thanksgiving programme dedicated to the 550th Prakash Purab of Guru Nanak — held at Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Afzalgunj on Sunday told Express that he welcomed the inclusion of the Sikh community in the Act. “However, the Muslim community should have also been included in the amended law,” he said.
“There are many Sikhs and Hindus who are living like refugees in India. The CAA has now given them relief. It is a welcome move. The CAA will be of huge help to the Sikhs and Hindus facing religious persecution in Pakistan and Afghanistan as well. There are hundreds of Afghan Sikhs who have been persecuted and forced to leave their birthplace. They will benefit from this Act,” Harpreet Singh said.
The legislation covers six communities, namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christian migrants from the neighbouring countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
“As per the tenets of Sikhism, we cannot differentiate or discriminate anyone on the basis of religion and caste. In the same way, the Indian Constitution also does not differentiate on the basis of religion and caste. So, Muslims too should have been included in the amended law,” Jathedar said.“Religious persecution in any country, whether it is Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh, should be vehemently opposed in all forms. Respective countries should take measures to ensure that all minorities living there can follow their religion without any troubles. Governments in these countries should protect the minorities,” he added.