Amritsar Vikas Manch and FlyAmritsar Initiative calls for immediate action to resolve these restrictions
Amritsar, Punjab – (Samajweekly) : The Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) and FlyAmritsar Initiative (FAI) have formally reached out to key officials, including Harjinder Singh Dhami, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), and Shri Rammohan Naidu, Minister for Civil Aviation, urging them to address the restrictions imposed on Sikh passengers and employees wearing kirpans and other religious symbols at Indian airports. The organizations are advocating for revisions to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security’s (BCAS) recent directive that bars Sikh employees from carrying kirpans on duty, impacting Sikh employees at airports nationwide.
In a joint statement, US-based Sameep Singh Gumtala, Global Convener of the FlyAmritsar Initiative and Overseas Secretary of AVM and Amritsar-based Principal Kulwant Singh Ankhi, Patron of AVM highlighted that the BCAS order dated October 30, 2024, permits Sikh passengers to carry kirpans with blades under six inches on domestic flights, but the order explicitly restricts Sikh employees from wearing kirpans while on duty. This clause has led to incidents at Indian airports, including the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport Amritsar, where baptized Sikh employees have been barred from entering terminal areas after security screening, hindering their ability to fulfil professional duties. AVM and FAI have strongly urged the BCAS to remove this restrictive clause and explicitly permit Sikh employees to wear kirpans while on duty.
“The right to practice one’s faith should not be limited by employment; this directive places an undue burden on Sikh employees” stated Gumtala. “Countries such as the UK and Canada allow Sikh airport employees to wear kirpans at the airside, balancing religious rights with security concerns. By revising current policies to explicitly permit Sikh employees to wear kirpans and ensuring consistent, respectful handling of Sikh passengers’ religious symbols, India, home to the largest Sikh population, can further strengthen its commitment to inclusivity and respect for religious diversity.”
In their letter, Gumtala and Ankhi also cited cases where Sikh passengers at security check-in for international flights were required to remove even small, harmless kirpans worn around the neck, as well as symbolic items such as the khanda and kanga (comb). Passengers traveling from airports abroad in the USA, Canada, and the Netherlands to India report no issues carrying these symbols, yet they find themselves unexpectedly forced to part with them upon departure from Indian airports, including Amritsar and Delhi.
“The right to practice one’s faith should not be restricted in one’s own country,” added Ankhi. “Our government has the power to set a strong example by respecting these religious symbols and ensuring that India remains a welcoming place for all faiths.”
AVM and FAI have also urged SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami to advocate on behalf of Sikh passengers and employees to ensure that their religious freedoms are respected and safeguarded. They requested SGPC support in raising these concerns with the Government of India to prevent further restrictions on Sikh religious symbols at airports.
Additionally. AVM and FAI have urged Minister Naidu to intervene, given that the BCAS operates under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and requested that he review these policies to ensure consistency in handling Sikh religious symbols. They have also appealed to Chairperson Lalpura of the NCM, highlighting that, as a Sikh, he would understand the significance of the kirpan and its harmless, symbolic nature.
We are confident that swift intervention from the SGPC, National Commission for Minorities, Ministry of Civil Aviation, will help safeguard the dignity and rights of Sikh passengers and employees across India’s airports, said Ankhi.
