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M.P. HARSIMRAT BADAL RAISES
BAN ON WEARING TURBANS IN FRANCE ISSUE IN LOK SABHA
Chandigarh, June 25: Member Parliament Bathinda, S. Harsimrat Kaur Badal today raised the issue of ban on wearing turbans in France and government’s failure to convince the French Government to lift the ban.
Her Starred Question no.286 was orally replied by the Union External Affairs Minister Shri S.M. Krishna. Outrageous at the unconvincing reply of the Minister, S. Harsimrat Badal explained to the House that “the turban is unshakeable commitment of Sikhs to the mission given to all Sikhs by the Gurus – to stand firm against tyranny and protecting the downtrodden. Turban is part of our being. “You may take off my head but not my turban” has been the reaction of Sikhs who were subjected to the tyrannical rules and they happily gave supreme sacrifices than to give up their turban.”
Describing the tremendous contribution made by the Sikhs in India’s freedom struggle and blood Sikhs shed for this nation she also said “Government of India so far has been making sham promises and buying the arguments of the French that ban is on all religious symbols. And at the same time the government has been failing to convey to the French that Turban to a Sikh is not just a religious symbol but it is inextricably linked part of Sikh being. Wearing a turban to a Sikh, in fact, is like declaring whether you are a Sikh or not a Sikh.”
She further questioned the government on the handicaps government face in convincing the French Government about the sensibilities and sentiments of the Sikh community and the need to lift the ban on wearing turbans immediately and reprimanded the government for not resolving this issue so far.
The Minister did not give any convincing reply to the House.
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