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Implement Anand Marriage Act in Chandigarh: Lalpura
Enacted in 1909, the Anand Marriage Act seeks to give statutory recognition to marriage rites of the Sikhs; thus, any marriage performed according to the “Anand” ceremony is valid with effect from the date of its solemnisation.
The chairman of the National Commission for Minorities Chairman, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, on Wednesday demanded implementation of the Anand Marriage Act and setting up of State Minorities Commission in Chandigarh.
Talking to mediapersons at the UT Secretariat, Lalpura said he had been continuously writing to the authorities concerned in Chandigarh and Punjab to implement the Anand Marriage Act, but there was no response. Lashing out at the Punjab government, he said except for 1.5 year, there had been a continuous Sikh chief minister in Punjab since 1956, yet the Anand Marriage Act had not been implemented in the state till date.
Enacted in 1909, the Anand Marriage Act seeks to give statutory recognition to marriage rites of the Sikhs. Thus, any marriage performed according to the “Anand” ceremony is valid with effect from the date of its solemnisation.
In 2012, the Parliament had passed the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Bill, during the tenure of Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, following which it had also received the President’s assent on June 7 that year, paving the way for Sikhs to register their marriages under the Anand Marriage Act instead of the Hindu Marriage Act. It was notified in Punjab in 2016, but has not been implemented.
Meets leaders of minority communities from UT, Punjab, Haryana
Lalpura on Wednesday also held a meeting with leaders of minority communities from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana here today and listened to their problems.
He said the commission was ensuring that the benefits of schemes being run by the central government for minorities reached people on the ground. “Care is being taken to ensure that students from minority communities get education and employment, and there is no discrimination against them,” he said.
‘Let law take its own course’
On the release of Sikh prisoners, Lalpura said the central government had done a lot for Sikhs. “In 2009, the Indian government released 18 people. Apart from this, parole was also being given to everyone according to the law. Many people in jail have been released. The blacklist of 372 people has been abolished. Many works have been done, including Kartarpur Corridor. Now, the law should be allowed to take its own course. Those who are in jail have been charged with Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act,” he said.
Schools in memory of four Sahibzadas
Lalpura said he had also written to the Punjab Government to build schools in memory of Sahibzadas Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh who were born in Anandpur Sahib. He also wrote a letter to the Himachal Pradesh chief minister that Sahibzada Ajit Singh was born in Poanta Sahib, so a school should be built in his name there.
On the question of alleged conversion of Sikhs to Christianity, Lalpura said he had been seeking information from the Punjab government for the last one and a half years, but even after three appearances, information had not been provided so far.
