SGPC asks Akal Takht to convene meeting over incidents of discrimination against Sikhs

Amritsar, June 30

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has taken note of another incident in which a Gursikh candidate, Lakhwinder Kaur from Ambala Cantonment, was forced to remove her kirpan and ‘karha’ at a centre of judicial examination in Jodhpur.

Earlier, another Gursikh woman Armanjot Kaur from Jalandhar had to pass through identical circumstances also in Rajasthan.

Following repeated incidents of discrimination against Sikhs, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has appealed to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh to convene a special meeting of all Sikh organisations for a serious discussion on such anti-Sikh incidents that come to light from time to time, so that a strong message could be sent to the governments.

Dhami said in the judicial examination of direct recruitment of civil judge held last week in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, the Amritdhari Sikh candidates were harassed at several centres due to adamant behaviour of the on-duty authorities. However, the instructions issued for the examination did not include any such restriction of removing Sikh ‘kakaars’.

The Rajasthan government has the responsibility to take strict action against the guilty officials as this arbitrary restriction is a move to challenge the Constitution, but it is sad that even after continuous objections lodged by the SGPC and the Sikh community, the government had failed to respond,” he said.

“The SGPC is with Lakhwinder Kaur and other Amritdhari candidates and will continue to seek action against the guilty officials by protesting at all levels,” he said.

The SGPC had earlier approached the Chief Justice and Registrar (Examination) of Rajasthan High Court, Jodhpur, Union Law and Justice Minister, Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Chairman of National and State Minorities Commission in this regard.

Authorities’ adamant behaviour

In the judicial examination of direct recruitment of civil judge held last week in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, the Amritdhari Sikh candidates were harassed at several centres due to adamant behaviour of the on-duty authorities. However, the instructions issued for the examination did not include any such restriction of removing Sikh ‘kakaars’. — Harjinder Singh Dhami, SGPC president