A Sikh litigant, Prof. Kawaldeep
Singh, was stopped at the entry of Supreme Court of India due to the reason
of wearing a Kirpan, A Sikh article of faith
(21.02.2015,
New Delhi) In a shocking incident on Friday, A Sikh litigant, Prof.
Kawaldeep Singh, who came from Patiala, Punjab to the city of Delhi for a
matter of his litigation, was stopped at the security entry of Supreme Court
of India due to the reason of wearing a Kirpan.
Kawaldeep Singh posted on the social media, “I am stopped at entry of Gate D
of Supreme Court of India from entering into the court complex due to the
reason of wearing a Kirpan (below 6 inches), the Sikh Symbol of Faith, at
security checkpoint.”
“I protested it strongly with security staff, with the contention that the
Freedom of Religion is the fundamental right of every Indian Citizen, and no
citizen could be prevented from entering in the premises of any government
building just because of the reason of wearing an article of faith. I also
explained the security staff that the Sikh citizens of India are
specifically allowed to freely wear and carry the Kirpan as their article of
faith, so that so, even in the supreme constitution of India it has been
added a written provision in regard of same. I told them that this is the
clear violation of my constitutional right of religious freedom otherwise in
this supreme temple of constitution. I told that I would sit here and do
hunger strike at the very place of entry due to this violation of my
fundamental right.” He said.
Security staff at the apex court, entry gate D, told him that there was an
instruction in the morning security brief of today, i.e. 20.02.2015, that
the (Sikh) persons carrying a Kirpan should not be allowed to enter in the
court premises, due to the security reason on the orders of "higher
authority".
“A security officer noted down my name, age,
address, purpose of visit, place to visit inside the court premises, and
asked me to stand and wait. He communicated all these details from his
wireless communication device (audible walkie-talkie) to his security
supervisor that a person with these details is asking to allow him to enter
the premises of the Supreme Court with a Kirpan. The Supervisor passed the
message to some higher authority and asked the security officer at entry to
wait till further orders. The security officer then received some
instruction (not known to me) on his mobile and he said I am allowed after
that”, said Kawaldeep Singh.
Security staff said that they were just doing their duty by following the
instruction given in today's security briefing.
Kawaldeep Singh gave the further details on the matter, “I told them I was
allowed in apex court only yesterday, from the entry gate C. I thanked them
now in the end and told them that now onwards do not stop any other Sikh
person, wearing a Kirpan. He assured me of same. I also asked him if there
would be some similar instruction alike next time, then question your
authorities that why had they allowed a person named Kawaldeep Singh to go
inside the premises of the apex court with a Kirpan on 20.02.2015 even after
the similar instruction on that day too, but only after when he protested
and told to sit there down and do hunger strike. I also asked if next time
such instruction/ order would be given to you then do ask for the copy of
written orders.”
All the events in this incident are seen as a violation of religious freedom
of a citizen who had come to the biggest custodian of the constitution,
which is otherwise strictly ensured by the supreme constitution of the
country. Even if this whole condemnable episode be considered as a mistake
later corrected, it is however strongly required that the security staff of
the highest court of the country should be made to train to respect the
constitution and the basic guiding principles of the identity and existence
of this nation in a manner that they should not be proved out as ignorant
and insensitive about the basic principles of freedom, fundamental rights
and civil liberties of the citizens of the nation as diverse as India.
