The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) organised a large gathering outside Saragarhi Sarai on Heritage Street on Tuesday to mark International Democracy Day, raising issues concerning Sikh religious freedom, the autonomy of Sikh institutions, elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the Anand Marriage Act, and justice for the victims of the 1984 violence.Addressing the gathering, party president Simranjit Singh Mann stated that the fundamental question before the Sikh community is whether final authority over a Sikh’s religious beliefs, institutions, and conscience lies with the Sikh Panth or the government.Mann said that the party has raised these issues not only before institutions in Punjab and India but also at international forums, including United Nations human rights mechanisms, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the European Parliament, and the parliaments of Britain and Canada.Addressing the Vande Mataram issue, Mann asserted that a Sikh cannot be compelled to recite or sing anything that goes against his religious beliefs and conscience. He maintained that his party’s objection is not directed at Hinduism, but rather against forcing a Sikh to participate in religious expressions contrary to his faith.Regarding SGPC elections, Mann pointed out that the last general election was held in 2011, meaning the religious body has not received a fresh electoral mandate for nearly 15 years. He demanded immediate elections and called for a system that ensures SGPC polls are held automatically every five years, preventing indefinite delays through administrative red tape.He also advocated for the development of a comprehensive Sikh family law covering matters such as Anand Karaj, marriage registration, divorce, maintenance, inheritance, adoption, guardianship, children’s rights, widowhood, remarriage, property rights, and gender equality.Mann added that Sikh institutions should undertake the necessary intellectual and legal work to formulate this code independently, rather than waiting for a future Uniform Civil Code.