Allow kirpan between domestic destinations after international flights land in India, NCM urges Aviation Ministry

In a letter to Union Railway Minister, Lalpura said the Commission received a petition from Jaswinder Kaur and others regarding the request for a halt of trains passing through Kirat Pur Sahib in Punjab’s Ropar district. The most important aspect is that the mortal remains of Sikhs after cremation are immersed in river Sutlej near Gurdwara Patal Puri Kirat Pur Sahib. This place is sacred to Sikhs as Haridwar or Varanasi are sacred for Hindus, Lalpura said, requesting a halt for trains passing through Kirat Pur Sahib

New Delhi:Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities Iqbal Singh Lalpura on Wednesday addressed a letter to Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia urging him to initiate necessary action to treat international flights as domestic ones after they land in the country and proceed to another destination in terms of allowing Sikh passengers travelling domestically to carry 'kirpan' as per standard permitted size.

In a letter, NCM Chairman Lalpura appealed to the Union Minister to do away with what he called a “discriminatory rule”. This comes after Sikhs travelling on international flights after landing in Delhi board aircraft for Amritsar the local passengers were not permitted to carry 'kirpan'. Similarly, the NCM has also written to Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw to initiate necessary action to halt all trains at Kiratpur Sahib Railway Station in order to mitigate the difficulties being faced by the Sikh pilgrims travelling to Kiratpur Sahib.

Read:BJP's Manjinder Sirsa thanks Centre for allowing Sikhs to carry Kirpan at airports, on domestic flights

In a letter to Union Railway Minister, Lalpura said the Commission received a petition from Jaswinder Kaur and others regarding the request for a halt of trains passing through Kirat Pur Sahib in Punjab’s Ropar district. The most important aspect is that the mortal remains of Sikhs after cremation are immersed in river Sutlej near Gurdwara Patal Puri Kirat Pur Sahib. This place is sacred to Sikhs as Haridwar or Varanasi are sacred for Hindus, Lalpura said, requesting a halt for trains passing through Kirat Pur Sahib. (With Agency inputs)