CHANDIGARH, Punjab—The SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal has welcomed the Britain government’s decision of legitimating the small as well as large Kirpan by making an amendment in the ‘Offensive Weapons Bill’. Notably, the UK government has passed an amendment this week by which Sikhs in the country will be allowed to carry Kirpans and use it during religious and cultural functions.
Interacting with media, Longowal said that Sikhs now live in the whole world and the British government has done a commendable job by recognizing their religious symbol Kirpan. “Wearing a small Kirpan is mandatory for Sikhs but the larger Kirpans also become mandatory during the religious processions,” he maintained while adding that the exhibition of Sikh martial art Gatka is also not possible without large Kirpans.
Terming the move as source of pleasing one for the Sikhs residing in Britain, Longowal has highly hailed the UK Sikhs for making efforts to get the Kirpan excluded from the offensive weapons list. “Now, the Sikhs living in UK will be encouraged to work with firm determination for the progress and prosperity of the country,” he added while thanking the Queen Elizabeth II.
Longowal further said that this would increase communal harmony in the UK and the Sikhs would feel at home there. He has also urged the Governments of all countries to get inspiration from the British Government.
Longowal said that the Sikhs living in the world have always been a plaintiff of communal harmony and they always keep working for the welfare of humanity following the principles and traditions of Sikhism. “Every country should make sincere efforts to safeguard the religious rights of the Sikhs like UK,” he added.
