United Sikhs – Sikhs Ask Canadian PM to Raise France’s Turban Ban at Meeting with French PM

Harper Should Raise France’s Turban Ban at Meeting with French Prime Minister: Canadian Liberal Leader

United Sikhs wrote recently to the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, requesting him to raise his objection to the French turban ban during his meeting this week with his counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault.

Sikhs globally believe that a ban on the turban is a betrayal of France’s motto- Liberté, égalité, fraternité.

Canadian Liberal Leader Bob Rae said in a statement today, “If we are to be a defender of rights, we must defend them around the world, including in France. We would encourage Mr. Harper to have a frank and open discussion with his French counterpart on this issue”.

Canadian Sikhs have also asked all Canadian Members of National and Provincial Parliaments to release similar statements supporting a Sikh’s right to his turban, urging Mr. Harper to raise this issue with the French PM.

Toronto, Canada: United Sikhs wrote to the Canadian Prime Minister earlier this week asking him to raise his objection to the turban ban in France, during his meeting with his French counterpart, who is currently visiting Canada.

“It is not very often that the people of a nation write directly to their Prime Minister about the threat of their identity in another sovereign state,” United Sikhs’ director, Ranbir Singh, said in the letter to the Canadian Prime Minister.

“Unless France allows Sikhs to wear a turban in schools and on ID documents photographs, the Sikh turban would be deemed to be banned in France, which will be a betrayal of France’s motto – Liberté, égalité, fraternité,” the letter added.

“Globalization in the 21st century has made human rights a border-less right. It is now no longer acceptable to say that we cannot interfere with the ‘internal affairs’ of a sovereign state (France). The precedent was set in the previous century when the world joined the Blacks of South Africa to fight apartheid – an ‘internal affair’ of a sovereign state. Just as the Blacks of South Africa could not remove the color of their skin, Sikhs cannot remove their turban and strip themselves of their identity,” the letter said.

Liberal Leader Bob Rae made the following statement today on Stephen Harper’s meeting with French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault:

“France’s decision to ban the wearing of turbans and other religious symbols in identification photos, government schools and public spaces has received international criticism and flies in the face of religious freedom. As a result of this ban, many Sikhs are denied access to employment, public health care and social benefits that require a government identification card. It should be an issue of great concern to this Conservative government and all Canadians.

After the much-publicized launch of Canada’s new Office of Religious Freedoms, today’s meeting is an ideal opportunity for this government to come to the defense of minority rights and walk the walk on religious freedoms. If we are to be a defender of rights, we must defend them around the world, including in France. We would encourage Mr. Harper to have a frank and open discussion with his French counterpart on this issue.”

In 2008, United Sikhs’ attorneys filed three cases against the French turban ban in schools and ID photos before the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC).

Victory was achieved at the UNHRC in the cases of both, Bikramjit Singh and Ranjit Singh. We await to hear the outcome of Shingara Singh’s case. If there was any doubt about the legality of France’s action, the eminent jurists of the UNHRC recently pronounced unequivocally that France had violated the human rights of both Bikramjit Singh and Ranjit Singh by denying them their religious right to wear a turban.

However, France has not overturned their ban and continue to enforce it on Bikramjit Singh and Ranjit Singh despite UNHRC’s decision. All Canadian Sikhs, United Sikhs’ team members and the global Sikh community urge and seek the support of the Canadian Government, Leaders of New Democratic Party, Liberal Party of Canada and all Members of the Parliaments to help raise this ban.

Sukhwinder Singh
Director, United Sikhs
Tel: 1-905-672-2245
Fax: 1-810-885-4264
unitedsikhs-canada@unitedsikhs.org

The Tribune – Will take up turban issue with France: Cameron

Neeraj Bagga, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 20. During his visit to the Golden Temple today, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron assured SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar that he would take up the issue of turban ban in France schools with the French Government.

Makkar had written to the Prime Minister, saying that Britain, being a member of the European Union (EU), could prevail upon France to allow schoolchildren of Sikh faith to wear the turban. He told the British Premier today that France, despite being a founding member of the UN, was not ready to follow the decision of its committee, asking it to abide by the decision of the EU in the matter.

To a question, Makkar said the issue of Britain returning the Kohinoor to the Sikh Panth was not raised with Cameron.

The British Prime Minister, accompanied by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his head covered, went around the Parkarma and bowed before Guru Granth Sahib at the sanctum sanctorum. He then went to Sri Guru Ram Das Langar Hall but did not eat langar.

At the sanctum sanctorum, Head Granthi Giani Mal Singh handed over a siropa (robe of honour) to the visiting dignitary who patiently listened to the rendering of Gurbani. Later, he visited Akal Takht. Badal gifted the British Premier an encyclopaedia on Sikhism and a shawl. The SGPC chief presented him a set of books, including “Sikhs in Great Britain,” and a picture book, “The Golden Temple of Amritsar Reflections of the Past”, and a model of the Golden Temple.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130221/punjab.htm#1

The Tribune – Harsimrat writes to Italian envoy on turban issue

Chandigarh, December 2. Member of Parliament from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal today sent a communiqué to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to convey to the visiting Italian parliamentary delegation the concern of the Sikhs on their victimisation in Italy.

“If celebrities like Golfer Jeev Milkha Singh’s coach Amritinder Singh and Ravijodh Singh Dhupia, Commander of Jet Airways, could be ridiculed in the presence of thousands of commuters (by asking them to remove their turban), one can well understand the fate of ordinary Sikhs in Italy,” she said.

In another communiqué to the Italy’s Ambassador, Harsimrat reminded him of the SAD memorandum on the humiliation meted out to Amritinder Singh and his assurance that such incidents would not reccur. She also criticised the Congress-led UPA Government for doing little to safeguard the dignity of the Sikhs travelling abroad.

She said that on the one hand, the Congress claimed to be a votary of Sikhs and on the other, despite assurances by the Union Exteranl Affairs Ministry and the Prime Minister, the Sikhs were being targeted abroad. (TNS)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111203/punjab.htm#20

The Tribune – Milan Turban Issue; SAD moves adjournment motion in Lok Sabha

Aditi Tandon, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 1 The Shiromani Akali Dal today lodged a strong protest with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over a Sikh pilot having been asked to remove his turban for security reasons at the Milan airport recently.

Taking up the case of Ravijodh Singh Dhupia, commander of Jet Airways flight 9W-141 from Milan to Delhi, who was made to remove his turban by airport officials, the SAD today gave a notice for adjournment of question hour in the Lok Sabha to discuss the matter. The party shot off a letter to the PM, reminding him of his failure to convey to the Italian authorities the significance of the turban in Sikh faith.

The party’s Bathinda member Harsimrat Kaur Badal gave the notice to Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn all proceedings “over the incident involving the Jet Airways commander, hurting his and the entire Sikh community’s sentiments and the utter failure of the government to ensure the dignity of Sikhs.”

Earlier, too, cases of Sikhs being asked to remove turbans had come to light. One such instance, which was raised in the Lok Sabha involved Amritinder Singh (coach of golfer Jeev Milkha Singh), who was also asked to remove his turban by the airport security staff at the Milan airport.

“As per the settled international law, turban can’t be removed but Italian security officials continue to do so despite repeated assurances given to us in the Parliament by the External Affairs Minister,” Harsimrat said.

Such instances were now coming to light from the US, France and Australia as well, the party added.

In her letter to the PM, Harsimrat Badal said: “We urge the government to bring to the notice of the Italian Government and other countries that turban is the most recognisable feature of a Sikh. Unlike a head covering, it is an inextricable part of the Sikh identity and is worn at all times as an essential article of the community’s faith.”

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111202/punjab.htm#1

The Tribune – Turban issue: Capt Amarinder Singh lashes out at Akalis

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 30. Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh today lashed out at the Akali leadership for trying to blame him and the UPA government for the refusal by the French government to lift ban on turban in France.

Reacting to the malicious campaign launched by the Akali leadership, including Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, blaming him and the Union Government on the issue, Captain Amarinder said the matter would be taken up at the highest level by the External Affairs Ministry.

Taking a dig at the Akalis’ ignorance, he said, “In the long-held obsession of blaming the Congress-led government at the Centre for all their ills, they forgot to realise the difference that the same argument will not apply here”.

He suggested to the Akali jathedars to set up a morcha, outside the residence of French President in Paris to protest the ban rather than blaming the Congress.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111031/punjab.htm#7