SGPC hails UK government for accommodating kirpans

AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has praised the UK government for allowing Sikhs to carry kirpan, one of five Sikh religious symbols, during religious and cultural functions.
“This is highly admirable decision of the UK government which has won the hearts of Sikhs,” SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said on Tuesday, adding that carrying kirpan was an integral part of a baptized Sikh and was required to be carried during nagar kirtans. Besides, he said, it was impossible to practice gatka (Sikh martial art) without wearing kirpan.
In the UK, the new Offensive Weapons Bill aimed at tackling rising knife crime in the UK became an act of law after receiving the royal assent last week.
The bill was amended late last year to ensure that it would not impact the right of the British Sikh community to carry kirpans during religious and cultural functions and supply kirpans. “We have engaged closely with the Sikh community on the issue of kirpans. As a result, we have amended the bill to ensure that the possession and supply of large kirpans for religious reasons can continue,” the UK home office spokesperson had said at the time.
Longowal also appreciated British Sikh community and UK Sikh organizations for pursuing the issue with the UK government. He also appealed to the governments of other nations to take a cue from the UK government’s decision and allow Sikhs to wear kirpans.