Sikhs employed in aviation sector allowed to carry small 'kirpan' in airport
Darpan News Desk IANS, 14 Mar, 2022 11:55 AM
New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) The Centre has allowed Sikhs working in the aviation sector to continue carrying small sized 'kirpan' within the airport premises.
In Sikh religion, 'kirpan' or a dagger is considered a holy object.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) amended its order issued on March 4 by deleting the para restricting the entry of Sikh employees inside the airport carrying 'kirpan' of specified size. The new order issued on March 12 restored the position prior to March 4.
As per the order, the length of the kirpan's blade should not be more than six inches, and its total length should not exceed nine inches.
In its earlier circular, Sikh travellers on domestic flights were allowed to carry the specified length 'kirpan' on their body.
The Indian Embassy in Kiev stated that the helpline numbers are being set up at the respective check-points to facilitate evacuation through the borders. These control rooms will be based in Poland, Romania and Hungary and they will be managed by the Indian officials posted in those countries.
On Thursday, India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had stated that Jaishankar has spoken to concerned officials in Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia for setting up camps on the border areas for evacuation of stranded Indian nationals.
An official spokesperson said the affected people or their relatives could call from within Punjab on helpline number 1100 and others from outside India on +91-172-4111905 for seeking information in this regard.
Amid crisis related to wearing of hijab in classrooms, an Amritdhari (baptised) Sikh girl was asked to remove her turban in the reputed Mount Carmel PU College here in accordance with the February 10 High Court's interim order. Some parents of the college also complained of being targeted after their daughters were asked to remove the hijab.
The brother-in-law of SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal, Majithia, who was sent to the Ropar jail during his judicial custody, applied for regular bail and his bail plea will come up for hearing on Friday.