KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT WITHDRAWS BAN ON KIRPAN FOR SIKH COMMUNITY

THANKFUL TO KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT FOR CLARIFYING ORDER : MANJINDER SINGH SIRSA

       New Delhi, September 15 : After the strong protest lodged by the sikh organizations including Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee (SGPC), the Karnataka government has clarified that it has not imposed a ban for sikh community to wear their religious symbol Kirpan.

       The DSGMC General Secretary S. Manjinder Singh Sirsa disclosed that the  Karnataka government had issued  a notification no HD 35 KAA 2017 Dated 28.8.2017  imposing a ban on arms specified in category V of schedule I of the Arms rules 2016 in Bengaluru city.  He said that under the said notification an impression was created that Sikhs have been barred from wearing Kirpan which was their religious symbol.

       He said that now in a clarification letter issued by  Mr. K. Chiranjivi Deputy Secretary Home Department (Law and order) dated 14.9.2017, it has been stated that apprehension expressed that a blanket ban has been imposed on the carrying of the Kirpan in Karnataka  as a symbol  as the religious faith of Sikhs is not correct. In the letter the government has clarified that the said notification issued on 28.8.2017 only bans carrying of sharp edged  and deadly weapons with blades longer than 9" or wider than 2" excluding those designed for domestic, agricultural, scientific or industrial purposes including  weapons called life preservers and machinery for making arms etc. It has been also stated that Kirpan which is not longer than 9" or wider than 2" is not covered under the ban as per Arms rules, 2016.

       Mr. Sirsa said that he was thankful to Government of Karnataka for issuing clarification as his notification has caused a huge resentment among the members of the sikh community. He said that incident of stopping sikh passengers from boarding a flight at the Bengaluru airport had further complicated the matter. He said that now when the government has issued clarification he was hopeful that the same incidents may not occur in future.

       He also thanked all the members of the community as well as media  for expressing their support for this big cause.   PR