Centre Allows Sikh Passengers To Wear Kirpan On Indian Flights

Mumbai: Civil Aviation Ministry has modified an earlier order restricting Sikh passengers from wearing kirpan on flights and allowed them to do so on an “Indian aircraft within India”.

Employees and passengers can carry kirpan at Indian airports, Manjinder Singh tweeted.

https://twitter.com/mssirsa/status/1503239514214391818?s=20&t=KKJxQUaHvb9QzJgnbeiWWA

A Sikh traveler may wear a kirpan provided the length of his blade does not exceed 15.24 cm (6 in) and the total length of the kirpan does not exceed 9 inches. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security stated that it is allowed when air travel in Indian aircraft within India. While the earlier order barred Sikh employees from wearing kirpans, the order’s corrigendum has reportedly removed this clause.

Recently, a Sikh employee wearing a kirpan was stopped from performing his duty at the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport in Amritsar following protests against the new rule by Sikh organisations.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami has written a letter to Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia violating the rule prohibiting Sikh employees from wearing kirpans.

“In their own country, this discrimination is a major attack on the religious freedom of the Sikhs, which will never be allowed to be implemented. The Centre should never forget that the Sikhs have remained at the forefront in making sacrifices for the freedom of this country and if the culture of the country survives today, it is because of the Sikhs,” said Dhami.

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