Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami strongly condemned an incident in Uttar Pradesh where an Amritdhari Sikh student was allegedly prevented from appearing in an examination for wearing a kirpan, one of the sacred Sikh articles of faith.
The incident took place in Kaanth town of Muradabad district, where the student, identified as Japan Singh, was stopped from sitting for his BA examination because he was wearing the kirpan.
The SGPC dispatched a team led by Sikh Mission Hapur in-charge Brijpal Singh to the college to conduct a probe in the case.
Calling the episode a serious issue linked to Sikh religious sentiments, Dhami urged the Uttar Pradesh government to order a thorough investigation and take strict action against the principal
and any other officials found responsible.
He emphasised that the five Sikh articles of faith are an integral part of Sikh identity and that the Indian Constitution guarantees Sikhs the freedom to observe their religious practices.
Dhami further stated that Sikh students across the country frequently face similar difficulties during examinations, which he described as unacceptable. He noted that the SGPC has written multiple times to both the central and various state governments regarding such matters, yet incidents continue to occur.
The SGPC, he added, will formally take up the issue with the Uttar Pradesh government to seek action against the officials involved and to prevent recurrence of such incidents