Sikh body takes exception to judgement on 'Singh' and 'Kour'

The Committee has referred to the judgment as an "interference".

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court recently made it clear that having "Singh" or "Kour" as surnames is not mandatory to be recognized as a Sikh person.

Reacting to a judgement about titles like 'Singh' and 'Kour' by a judge of Jammu & Kashmir High Court while hearing a petition filed during Gurdwara elections, APSCC Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said in a statement that although the judgement was within the parameters of the J&K Gurdwara Endowment Act, the learned judge "should have had the basic knowledge of the Sikh religion, adding that ignorance of religious rules is no excuse."

"Challenging the basic tenants of any religion, be it Hinduism, Islam, or Sikhism, is equivalent to provoking the religious sentiments of people belonging to that particular religion.

"In the instant case, the Supreme Court of India should take suo motto cognizance and force the concerned judge to resign. Every community in the country needs respect, honor, and credibility," said Raina.

The APSCC Chairman said that religions are defined by religious scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, Holy Quran, and Guru Granth Sahib, and nobody has the power to redefine the same even though the said person belongs to the judiciary or legislature.

He asked the people to believe in co-existence and allow the others to practice their own faith or religion.