Sikh man asked to remove Kirpan in Delhi Metro; Minorities panel seeks official response

A Sikh man was allegedly stopped from entering Dwarka Sector 21 metro station in the national capital and was asked to remove his Kirpan, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) said.

The NCM received a complaint from former Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Kewal Singh that he was stopped from entering the metro station and was asked to remove his kirpan.

"Article 25 of the Constitution allows the wearing and carrying of Kirpans by Sikh persons. National Commission for Minorities Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura sought a report on the matter from DMRC Chairman and Delhi Chief Secretary and to take necessary action," the NCM said.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) condemned the incident which took place on Thursday and demanded strict action against those responsible.

A kirpan is a mandatory Sikh article of faith and is one of the five distinguishing signs of the Sikh Khalsa. It is carried by Sikhs all time.

Interestingly, in a Tweet in 2019, Delhi Metro had said that Sikh passengers are permitted to carry/wear kirpan of a length which is not more than 23 cm.

Plea against carrying kirpan in flights filed in Delhi HC; later withdrawn

In August, the Delhi High Court had issued a notice to the Centre and others on a plea challenging the notification that allowed Sikh community members to carry Kirpan on board domestic flights in India. However, the plea was later withdrawn.

The petition had contended that the regulatory permission to allow Kirpans in domestic flights is bad in law, mauls civil aviation safety protocols as well as international conventions, and has been promulgated without application of mind in spite of "historical lessons in aviation hijackings".

The petition by advocate Harsh Vibhore Singhal had said that allowing kirpans on flights, in terms of the permissible dimensions, has “dangerous ramifications for aviation safety" and "if kirpans are deemed safe only because of religion, one wonders how knitting/crochet needles, coconuts, screwdrivers, and small pen knives, etc. are deemed hazardous and prohibited."