Sikh organisations are planning to organise a series of protests against Sarkozy’s India visit to express their resentment.
In 2004, France banned religious apparel, including turbans, in schools, causing uproar among the Sikh community
CHANDIGARH: Sikh organisations are planning to organise a series of protests against French president Nicholas Sarkozy’s India visit to express their resentment against the French legislation that bars Sikhs from wearing turbans in France.
Five Sikh organisations have sent out an appeal to Sikhs all over the world to organise a protest march when the French president arrives in Delhi on a two-day visit beginning January 25. Five organisations-the United Sikhs, the International Sikh Confederation, the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, the Institute of Sikh Studies and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Prabandak Committee-would present a memorandum on the matter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, for forwarding it to the French president.
Sikhs residing across world have been asked to march to the French embassies in respective countries on February 24 to register their protest against the “violation of fundamental rights of an individual to practice one’s religion”.
While the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandak Committee (SGPC) has already forwarded a memorandum to the French embassy in Delhi, senior Akali Dal leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, MP, proposes to have a word with the French president personally on the matter. The French embassy, however, has already expressed its inability to get an appointment for Dhindsa.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Khalsa Action Committee called on the French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont in Delhi on Wednesday to apprise him of Sikh concerns over the turban issue. The French Ambassador told the delegation that he would try to arrange their meeting with Sarkozy
b_ajay@dnaindia.net
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