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Singhs, Kaurs get mixed up in
legakl jumble in some countries
Bhupinder Singh
Holland
 A new problem
has come to light in the nomenclature of Sikh children in certain
European countries. A law was passed in 2003 that when a Dutch
nationality boy or girl gets married in a second country and a child
coming out of this marriage will also have the name of the Dutch
nationality spouse.
Sikhs have been
affected the most because of this new law.
For example, a
Dutch boy with name Surinder Singh has married in
Punjab
with a Sikh girl Sukhbir Kaur of Indian nationality. A daughter is
born to this family and her name is Amarjit Kaur. According to Dutch
law, her name will be registered in Town Hall as Amarjit Kaur Singh.
Similar will be
the case of a Dutch Sikh girl married in
Punjab.
Their son will get a name like Amrinder Singh Kaur.
So this has
changed our sacred tradition of Singh and Kaur.
This problem is
in Holland, Belgium, Italy and many other European countries. The
authority will register family name as Singh and surname as Amarjit
Kaur or family name Kaur and surname as Amrinder Singh.
I made a written
protest against this law to Minister of Justice, Holland on
23-01-2004 and got 4 letters from him regarding the case so far.
Firstly, he
referred me to the Town Hall and the Town Hall bluntly refused and
cited the law made by the government. At the end, Minister of
Justice has advised me to go to court and to challenge this law.
I was fighting
from Town Hall to Ministry & vice versa and was convincing the
political parties of Holland to stand with Sikh Nation on this
matter as this law has damaged the spirit of Khalsa and their 300
years old Sikh Tradition of choosing their names from their holy
book, Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji for boys and suffix Singh and Kaur
with sons and daughters, respectively.
Now the Christen
Unie party with six seats of Parliament and partner with ruling
Christen Democrative Party CDA has raised this issue on 13-01-2010
before the President of Law council and demanded to correct this
mistake. Sikhs need to track the developments and work in whatever
way they can to create a public opinion.
10
February 2010
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