Legal Sikhism Is Recognized As A Religion In Chile

[Inderjeet Kaur]

The Sikh religion gets legal recognition in Chile, granting protection and security to the Sikh community. Chile has approximately 200 spiritual paths legally recognized by its government. The Sikh religion, however, was not included. For Sikhs, the pain is no more. The Chilean Government has recognized Sikhism as religion on January 25, 2016. This was not achieved easily; it took about four years of continuous effort. The minuscule but growing Chilean Sikh community has seen Sikh religion get legal recognition. Sikhism is Recognized as a Religion in Chile Tweet This The news was welcomed by the Sikhs living in the country. Sikh Dharma Chile's Rupinder Kaur Khalsa said that from now on, Sikhs will have protection, with increased job security. This move will benefit both the political system and the health system. She also mentioned that now Sikhs have the right to attend public gatherings. Rupinder continued and said that the legalization process began about seven years before. Legal documents were created that described the Sikh turban, the philosophy of Sikh Dharma and about the organization's aim to as to why they want to legalize the Sikh Dharma. The values of the Sikhs were also expounded. The legal process concerned waiting for the approval by the government. The deed was completed in January.

Read more at World Religion News: "Sikhism is Recognized as a Religion in Chile" http://www.worldreligionnews.com/?p=23885

 

[Ambarsaria]

I hope it will also happen one day in India. As you know the staus quo is more or less as follows:

The inclusion of Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs within Hinduism is part of the Indian legal system. The 1955 Hindu Marriage Act "[defines] as Hindus all Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs and anyone who is not a Christian, Muslim, P{censored}e or Jew". And the Indian Constitution says that "reference to Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religion".


In a judicial reminder, the Indian Supreme Court observed Sikhism and Jainism to be sub-sects or special faiths within the larger Hindu fold, and that Jainism is a denomination within the Hindu fold. Although the government of British India counted Jains in India as a major religious community right from the first Census conducted in 1873, after independence in 1947 Sikhs and Jains were not treated as national minorities. In 2005 the Supreme Court of India declined to issue a writ of Mandamus granting Jains the status of a religious minority throughout India. The Court however left it to the respective states to decide on the minority status of Jain religion.

Good job Sikhs in Chile. Congratulations.

Sat Sri Akal

 

[Joginder Singh Foley]

WGKK-WGKF

I take that in 1955 the indian government was unfamiliar with Guru Nanakji's first words "neither hindu or muslim" then but what you expect from indian governments when it comes to dealing with us Sikhs and our affairs