Legal Battle for Turban begins in French court

A survey shows that more than 80% of French Sikh school children have been denied their right to cover their unshorn hair – contrary to French Govt assurances to Indian premier that law has affected a handful.

Paris, France: A French administrative court in Melun (France) will decide tomorrow, whether three French Sikh schoolboys should be allowed to wear their turban to school. These three boys were expelled from school last December for refusing to remove their Turbans. Although the French law banning ostensible religious symbols has so far included the Sikh Turban, UNITED SIKHS (France) Director, Kudrat Singh, says this is due to misinterpretation of the law, and a lack of awareness of the Turban.

‘The court will be asked tomorrow to uphold the freedom of conscience for 15 year olds, Jasvir Singh, Bikramjit Singh and Ranjit Singh, which is protected under French law,’ said Kudrat Singh.

‘Sikhs wear the turban to maintain the sanctity of their unshorn hair. Rather than being an ostensible symbol of their religion, it is a personal sign between the wearer and God. It is a manifestation of their religion, as recognised by the European Convention of Human Rights, and is an intrinsic part of being a Sikh, Kudrat Singh wrote in a letter to the French Prime Minister last week.

A preliminary study carried out by UNITED SIKHS shows 84 percent of the interviewees were prevented from wearing head coverings of their choice to school. Five schoolboys were expelled for refusing to remove their turban, and many more were outcast by their peers. The report of this study may be viewed at https://www.unitedsikhs.org/rtt/doc/report_on_affect_of_law_on_french_sikh_schoolchildren.doc

‘This study was necessary because last year the French government had reassured the Indian Premier, Dr Manmohan Singh, that the Turban ban only affected a few and that a solution has been found for most.’ said Kudrat Singh.

‘There has been an increase in bullying facilitated by the law. If the law states religious symbols are not allowed in schools, children will not understand and respect the right to difference. It is likely that incidents of bullying towards Sikh boys with unshorn hair will increase.’ Said Meerat Kaur, UNITED SIKHS’ International and Civil Rights advocacy director for Europe.

UNITED SIKHS will submit findings of this survey to the Prime Minister and Education Minister of France stressing that the law should not be extended to the turban, because it is not an ‘ostensible symbol’ within the definition of the law. ‘The law has adversely affected French-Sikh schoolchildren, as can be seen the preliminary study carried out be UNITED SIKHS, and will continue to do so unless it is applied judiciously.’ Said Meerat kaur who conducted the preliminary study involving 25 French Sikh school children.

For more information on the Right to Turban campaign, please link to: https://www.unitedsikhs.org/rtt/

Issued by:
Mejindarpal Kaur
Director
UNITED SIKHS
Tel: 0091 981 540 260