RANCHI: The Sikh community in Jharkhand has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking action against the school and its Principal for barring a Sikh student, Karandeep Singh, from entering the examination hall wearing a ‘kripan’on his sides.
Though, the incident took place at Saraswati Vidya Mandir at Dugdha in Bokaro district on May 13, the letter was handed over the Deputy Commissioner on May 15 after the matter was put to the notice of Sikh Welfare Society.
Karandeep had his class 10th final examination centre at Saraswati Vidya Mandir at Dugdha in Bokaro. During checking at the door, he was found carrying a ‘kirpan’ following which he was asked to submit it outside the examination hall, for which, he was not ready.
After being pressurized by school administration, he decided to submit it outside the examination hall as he did not want to spoil his future. “Finally, Karandeep had to lay it down his ‘kripan’ and then allowed to enter the examination hall,” said President of Sikh Welfare Society Seva Singh.
After the matter was put to the notice of Sikh Welfare Society, it took the matter seriously and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking action against the school and the school and its Principal saying that the sentiments of the Sikh community have been hurt by the incident, he added.
“It seems that the principal and school administration did this intentionally to hurt the sentiments of the Sikh student which is not only an insult to the Sikh Panth but also a violation of the fundamental rights of the constitution,” stated the letter written to PM Modi.
Therefore, the Sikh community requested the Prime Minister to direct CBSE, Saraswati Shishu Mandir organizational head, Human Resource Development Department and State Government to take action
against the school and it’s principal, it added.
According to Seva Singh, thousands of Sikh students appear in Civil and Administrative Services and competitive along with school and college examinations, but never objected to carry ‘kirpan’. Even in past, Saraswati Vidya Mandir never objected to it, he added.
“It is a serious matter. Sikh Welfare Society would wait for a response from PMO and do the needful for protection of Sikh Panths,” said Singh. Principal of Saraswati Vidya Mandir, Dugdha, however, was not available for comments on the incident.