Civil Aviation bans Sikh employees from not wearing kirpan at airports due to security reasons, protests increase
New Delhi/Amritsar. Sikh employees will not be able to wear kirpan at airports in India. The Bureau of Civil Aviation (BCAS) had issued orders regarding this on 30 October. BCAS said in its order that Sikh employees working at airports will not be able to wear kirpans in view of security.
Employees of all airports received this guideline a day before. It has been said from BCAS that these orders were issued due to security protocol. After which the controversy started. Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh said that 5 Kakars are the gift of Gurus. He will ask the Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee to talk to the government regarding this.
Giani Harpreet Singh said- Freedom to wear religious symbols in the Constitution
Jathedar of Sri Damdama Sahib, Giani Harpreet Singh criticized this decision, calling it a violation of religious freedom. He said that Kirpan is a sacred symbol in Sikhism and wearing it is a religious right. Such orders have been issued earlier also, which hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. The orders given by the Aviation Authority to Sikhs not to wear kirpan for duty are wrong.
There is reaction to this order not only from Sikh organizations but also from political and social organizations. Amritsar Vikas Manch and Fly Amritsar Initiative say that the right to religious freedom is a fundamental right and it is unfair to limit it in this way. The question of security is important, but it needs to be balanced with religious freedom.
Source : palpalindia
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