Amritdhari Sikh denied entry at Delhi Metro station for wearing kirpan; SGPC chief Advocate Dhami reacts

PTC Web Desk: President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has strongly condemned the incident at Delhi's Jhilmil Metro Station, where an Amritdhari Sikh was stopped from entering the station while carrying a kirpan. He called the incident a violation of the Constitution and expressed concern over the recurring issues disrespecting the religious sentiments of Sikhs in the country.

Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami said such incidents, where the religious rights of Sikhs were violated, were troubling, and it was unfortunate that no exemplary action had been taken by the authorities to address these issues. He reiterated that the Constitution guaranteed every citizen the right to practice and protect their religious beliefs. "For an Amritdhari Sikh, wearing the five articles of faith, including the kirpan, is not only mandatory but is also constitutionally protected," said Advocate Dhami.

Recently, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had also issued a notification banning Amritdhari Sikh employees from carrying kirpan at Indian airports, which the SGPC had strongly opposed. Advocate Dhami said this new incident at Jhilmil Metro Station, where CISF personnel stopped an Amritdhari Sikh from entering with his kirpan, was an insult to Sikh religious sentiments.

A video of this incident also went viral on social media. Advocate Dhami called for strict action against those responsible. He urged the government to ensure that no Sikh in the country was discriminated against or stopped from wearing the religious articles, including the kirpan.

He appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Delhi government to take immediate action to safeguard the rights and religious freedoms of Sikhs in India, ensuring such incidents do not occur in the future.