Judge addresses Sikh exemptions from knife rules
Sikhs should be allowed to wear their ceremonial daggers – known as Kirpans – to school and other public places, Britain’s first Asian judge has said.
There have been a number of cases of Sikhs being refused entry to venues because they wear the Kirpan or other religious artefacts.
Sir Mota Singh QC, who is retired, has criticised schools over the issue.
“Not allowing someone who is baptised to wear a Kirpan is not right,” Sir Mota told BBC Asian Network.
How is this not discrimination?
This is a example of the entrenched ridiculousness of those who interpret religious requirements which originated as a result of the historical circumstances in which the religion was founded, but which no longer apply. In the Sikh religious books, there is no requirement on the size of the kirpan (dagger) or the manner in which it should be worn; consequently, there is no excuse to allow anyone, particularly a schoolboy, an exemption to carry a 5 inch dagger into school, or anywhere else. There is a world of difference between insisting on positive discrimination (exempting Sikhs from the ban on knife-carrying) and on positive action (encouraging use of small symbolic kirpans on combs or necklaces), and perhaps those who prefer positive discrimination, like Sir Mota, should ask themselves what their religion is really all about.
this is basically arming a a particular faction of society. is this what we need? if casual police officers don’t carry guns, why would Sikhs carry daggers?
I bet the aren’t allowed to have them on planes.