{"links":{"self":"https://preview.epetitions.website/archived/petitions/27650.json"},"data":{"type":"archived-petition","id":27650,"parliament":{"period":"2010-2015","government":"Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition","dissolution_at":"2015-03-30T23:59:59.000+01:00","response_threshold":10000,"debate_threshold":100000},"attributes":{"action":"HMG should decide & legislate on the confusion over priority rights of RACIAL groups vis-à-vis RELGIOUS group?","background":null,"additional_details":"Which have priority or the same - racial groups practising their customs (like wearing turbans, wearing burkas) or believers’ religious observances? Sikhs/Jews an ethnic race, cult or religion? In Mandla v Dowell Lee (1983) House of Lords found that Sikhs constituted a RACIAL group when a Sikh boy was refused a place at a school because he wore a turban. The appeal was therefore allowed under Race Relations Act. This judgement was based on Sikhs long shared history & collective consciousness distinguishing them from other groups in customs, geographical origin, language, being recognised as a separate group in the surrounding community. Jews regard a person a Jew if born of Jewish mother. A person can be a Jew even if not practising Judaism. Likewise can a person be converted to Sikhism by believing in karma & reincarnation unless BORN a Sikh? Surely belief in reincarnation itself would not require a believer to start wearing turbans, bangles, ceremonial swords, long beard, etc.","committee_note":null,"state":"rejected","signature_count":1,"created_at":"2012-01-17T09:33:56.000Z","updated_at":"2020-02-16T19:27:49.964Z","rejected_at":"2017-06-21T12:37:25.494Z","opened_at":null,"closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2012-01-17T09:33:56.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_at":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"rejection":{"code":"no-action","details":null},"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[],"topics":[]}}}