New Delhi: The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) General Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa has urged Prime Minister Narinder Modi to take up issue of ban on Turban and other sikh religious symbols in France with the French President who has come on a four day visit of the country.
In a letter written to Prime Minister Sirsa said that earlier too he had apprised him that Sikh children are being forced to remove their Turban (Dastaar) and other Sikh religious items which are called Kakkars in the schools of France but now a new problem has erupted that French government has made it mandatory that no official identity card will be prepared unless Turban is taken off. He said that in such circumstances Sikhs are being forced to remove their Turbans for getting their pictures clicked for getting any official Identity Card. He said that not only this but no job is given to Sikh who wears Turban in France.
He also disclosed the Union Cabinet Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and he himself had also taken up this issue with the French Embassy in Delhi some time ago and had urged to resolve the matter at the earliest.
He said that due to these prohibitory orders of the French government there is strong unrest in the Sikh community. He said that wearing these items is not a fashion for the sikh community but they are duty bound to follow the teachings of the Sikh Guru Sahib in this matter. He also said that Sikhs worldwide follow the guidelines framed by the Sikh Gurus for the community.
He said that Sikhs are hard working and peace loving people who have proven excellent track records and attained respectable and high positions in the country and around the world.
Sirsa apprised the PM that Sikhs have great faith in his leadership and his active participation in the 300th martyrdom programme of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Ji held in New Delhi in July 2016 and his remarkable speech about Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in the programme is still remembered in the Sikh community. He also said that Sikh community was very thankful to him for granting 100 crore rupees for celebration of 350th Parkash Gurpurab of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
The DSGMC General Secretary said that as the French President is on India visit, he can impress upon the visiting dignitary on the issue and tell him the importance of these religious items in the lives of the Sikhs. He said that his this gesture can help resolve a long standing issue being faced by the Sikh community members in France.
