AMRITSAR: The administration of St Joseph's Higher Secondary School in Baramulla, 50 km from the state capital, Srinagar have allowed the Sikh students to wear turbans in classrooms after initially imposing a ban.
International legal director of UK based Sikh NGO 'United Sikhs', Mejinderpal Kaur told TOI over phone from UK on Monday that the 107 year old school, which had 300 Sikh students, had excluded turbaned Sikh students from classes saying that the turban was against the school's uniform code.
"Following a letter writing campaign by us to the school, state and national authorities, the school principal called a meeting with parents of the affected students and the Sikh community representatives and announced that the students may return to school wearing their turbans" said she.
She said that on May 16th some 40 Sikh students of the St Joseph Higher Secondary School were excluded from classes for wearing turbans. But the students took a strong stand against the school management's decision. She informed that on May 21st, on behalf of some parents and the Baramulla Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the 'United Sikhs' had written to the school principal, Father Sebastian Nagathunkal and Peter Celestine, the Bishop of the Diocese of Jammu-Srinagar that runs the school, asking them to uphold the Sikh students' religious right to wear their turban.
"We also wrote to the education minister of Jammu and Kashmir asking him to intervene. These letters were copied to the Cardinal of the Indian Catholic Church of India, the National Human Right Commission and the National Commission for Minorities," said Kaur. She said on June 15th United Sikh's directors, Esher Singh and Gurpreet Singh would visit the Sikh community in Baramulla and honour the Sikh students and parents who stood their ground and made it possible for Sikh students to wear their turban at St Joseph's School. The will also conduct motivational workshops for Sikh youths and their parents.
with thanks : Times of India : LINK
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment