bapu da laadla
VIP
Amritsar, Panjab 7th June 2011 – The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has today lifted the ban it had imposed in April on the wearing of a Kirpan by employees working on the airside at the Sri Guru Ramdas International Airport, Amritsar, following a campaign by the UNITED SIKHS and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
“The ban has been lifted so that Sikh employees working on the airside at Amritsar airport may wear a Kirpan on the same terms as passengers are allowed to wear it on domestic flights. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by the recent ban,” Mr Sharad Kumar, the Commandant of CISF who initially announced the ban, told UNITED SIKHS by telephone.
“A right accorded under the constitution cannot be taken away by any law or order or rule by any agency. Hence the Kirpan ban imposed by CISF on April 25th was illegal,” said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Legal Director.
“We are pleased that good sense has prevailed and that the CISF and the Civil Aviation Bureau has responded by upholding the constitutional rights of Sikhs to wear a Kirpan at all times in India.
“The ban has been lifted so that Sikh employees working on the airside at Amritsar airport may wear a Kirpan on the same terms as passengers are allowed to wear it on domestic flights. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by the recent ban,” Mr Sharad Kumar, the Commandant of CISF who initially announced the ban, told UNITED SIKHS by telephone.
“A right accorded under the constitution cannot be taken away by any law or order or rule by any agency. Hence the Kirpan ban imposed by CISF on April 25th was illegal,” said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Legal Director.
“We are pleased that good sense has prevailed and that the CISF and the Civil Aviation Bureau has responded by upholding the constitutional rights of Sikhs to wear a Kirpan at all times in India.
