Most trusted Name in the NRI media
Serving over 22 millions NRIs worldwide

NRI Sikhs move court on turban ban

 

London, September 21, 2005
Vijay Dutt
Hindustan Times

A battle against the French law banning pupils in public schools from wearing 'conspicuous' religious symbols has reached boiling point in Paris after two Sikh schoolboys were barred from class earlier this month because they refused to remove their turban.

In fact, the Sikhs had started protest as soon as the proposal for banning religious symbols, such as the Muslim hijab, the Jewish skullcap or the Sikh turban, by pupils in government schools was made by the French ministers last year.

The NRI, Sikh pressure groups in Britain and the US took up the issue and a huge protest march was organised in Paris. A large number of Sikhs had gone from Britain to participate. A deputation had also gone to India and demanded that the Indian Government take up the matter and persuade Paris to drop the move to ban wearing of turbans in schools.

Now the tussle is getting more serious. "This law is utterly unfair because it runs against the French Constitution which guarantees the freedom of religion," Kudrat Singh, United Sikhs' leader in France told the media.

He added that the law was profoundly unjust "because it prevents young boys from going to school, which is a fundamental right also enshrined in the Constitution".

The Sikhs have moved a legal petition and asked the highest court to reconsider the law. Singh said they were doing their utmost to keep the right to wear the turban, which is part and parcel of the Sikh religion.

The case is now pending at the Conseil d'Etat (like the Indian Supreme Court). The plea is that the Sikh turban is not a 'conspicuous' religious symbol but a part of religious practice. If the French court rejects the petition the European Court of Justice will be moved.

Singh pointed out that from his several travels to India he has learnt that diversity and differences make societies richer and more tolerant.

A Frenchman of Jewish origin that converted to Sikhism, Singh said that the ban had to "do with the nature of the French political system and the balance of power due to demographic change within the country".

The ban was initially aimed at stopping Muslim girls form wearing hijab (head scarves) but then it would have meant discrimination. The ban was legislated for all "conspicuous symbols" of all religions.

France has a total population of a little over 60 million, of which most of them are Roman Catholics and about five million are Muslims. There are about 5000 Sikhs, mostly living in Paris.



Any comments on this article or you have any news: Click here