Outrage after Sikh student detained for wearing Kirpan
A SIKH student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte was allegedly detained on campus for wearing a Kirpan, one of the integral parts of five Sikh Kakars (articles of faith).
The video of the incident was initially shared by the student, who posted it on Twitter saying that the police handcuffed him for resisting the officer take his Kirpan out of the miyaan (holder).
‘I wasn't going to post this, but I don't think I will receive any support from @unccharlotte. I was told someone called 911 and reported me, and I got cuffed for ‘resisting' because
I refused to let the officer take my kirpan out of the miyaan.'
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami condemned the incident and also took it up with the Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. He also urged foreign minister S Jaishankar to ensure the religious freedom of the Sikhs in the US.
Sharing the video on Twitter, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa wrote, ‘Despite numerous global campaigns to create awareness about Sikh Kakars, it's disheartening to see the Campus Police at University of North Carolina detain a Sikh youth for his Kirpan. I condemn the discriminatory attitude of University authorities towards Sikh students,' Sirsa tweeted.
‘We demand an apology from Campus Police and Univ Admin at @unccharlotte that detained a Sikh youth for his Kirpan, a quintessential part of Sikh Kakars. We are in constant touch with @IndianEmbassyUS and @MEAIndia to ensure the Amritdhari student is released with due respect,' Sirsa, a former legislator, said in a tweet.
‘I must appreciate the Sikh student who explained the significance of Kirpan with such faith. We demand an apology from @unccharlotte admin for this racial attitude. I also urge @DrSJaishankar Ji to address the issue of discrimination faced by Sikh students at global level,' he added.
The Sikh student later tweeted, ' Update for the masses: I received my kirpan back thank you all for the continuous support.'
In August, US authorities said they are investigating reports that the turbans of Sikh asylum seekers were confiscated after they were detained at the border.