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Turbanating the issue
Sikh nation makes its point on Sarkozy’s visit eve
WSN Bureau
 NEW
DELHI/AMRITSAR/PARIS: By the time this edition of WSN will be in
your hands, the French president Nicholas Sarkozy would have landed
in India.
Sikhs across the world are hoping that the community is somehow able
to impress upon the Frenchman the harm that the ban, actually aimed
at keeping burqa out of class rooms, has come to harm the Sikh
community.
Already, the
Sikhs are out making alot of noise to attract the attention of the
media and France.
France seems
concerned and the French ambassador on Tuesday met representatives
of the Khalsa Action Committee in New Delhi. The media seems
apathetic, not just to the Sikhs but to all issues, and has kept the
focus on whether or not his girlfriend Carla Bruni will accompany
him. Well, now that she is not coming, may be the media will finally
have some time and columns to focus on what may matter to the Sikh
nation such hopes are often high.
Sarkozy visit
was preceded by a march in
New Delhi to
protest against the so-called secularity law of
France
that bans the wearing of turbans in schools and other work places
throughout the country. The one kilometre march from Gurudwara
Bangla Sahib to Jantar Mantar, prefiguring the arrival of the
controversial French president next week, was followed by a candle
light vigil.
The French law
prohibits all “ostensible” religious articles - including the Sikh
turban, the Muslim hijab, the Jewish Kippa and Christian crosses in
public schools in
France but fails
to make a distinction between orthodoxy-propelled practices and what
is intrinsic part of being a Sikh.
Eastern Orthodox
Christians wear a cross which is consecrated for them at the change
of name they have through baptism, but it is usually worn under the
clothing, for example.
Sarkozy will be
India's
chief guest at the country's 58th Republic Day celebrations.
Sikhs in
France have
already asked PM Manmohan Singh to take up the turban ban issue with
Sarkozy during the visit. On their part, the French Sikhs are
planning to move the European Union parliament on the issue.
Akali Dal MP
Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa accompanied by Dr. Jasdev Singh Rai of the
Sikh Human Rights Group,
UK separately
met the French Ambassador on Tuesday. The KAC delegation, comprising
former IAS officer Prof Gurtej Singh, Prof Jagmohan Singh and
Kanwarpal Singh, spokesperson of KAC, met Jérôme Bonnafont, the
French Ambassador to India, at his residence to apprise him of the
Sikh concerns.
They presented a
memorandum seeking a solution to the problem of Sikh school children
in
France. "Sikhs are surely conscious of the secularist ideals of
France but earnestly believe that the French have significantly
erred in this particular case," Jagmohan Singh told WSN. Dal Khalsa
general secretary Kanwarpal Singh said in the 30-minute meeting, the
French ambassador assured the delegation that though the French
President was here on a short visit, he would explore possibilities
for a Sikh delegation to meet the visiting President.
Thankfully, the
KAC stated what was going unsaid: every department of the French
government is by now aware of the religious and social significance
of the turban to the Sikhs; reams of material have been submitted to
various French forums by a multitude of Sikh organizations;
political leaders, religious personalities, university scholars and
legal luminaries have also submitted their viewpoints in great
detail. What is required is for the French nation to state its view
so that the Sikh nation can take its next decision.
The leaders
while talking to the French diplomat emphasized that a Sikh was
conspicuous even without his turban and therefore the rationale for
the ban is irrelevant, improper and even unlawful as per European
and international law.
23 January 2008
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