New Delhi: BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa Monday thanked the Centre for allowing Sikh employees and passengers from carrying Kirpan at domestic airports and during flights.
"Thanking @PMOIndia & @JM_Scindia Ji for swift action on changing the order order of @MoCA_GoI restricting Sikh Employees from carrying kirpan at airport during duty. The corrigendum removed objectionable restriction. Employees (& passengers) can carry Kripan at Indian airports," Sirsa tweeted.
In a recent corrigendum issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Sikh passengers will now be allowed to carry Kirpan even as the ministry specified that the length of the blade of Kirpan should not exceed 15.24 cms (6 inches) and its total length must not exceed 22.86 cms (9 inches).
MoCA in the corrigendum removed the clause in its earlier order which stated that no employees at any domestic or international airport terminal be allowed to carry Kirpan on person. Kirpan is a short sword or knife with a curved blade, worn (sometimes in miniature form) as one of the five distinguishing signs of the Sikh Khalsa. As per the corrigendum issued by Jaideep Prasad, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation and Security (BCAS), "It (Kirpan) is allowed while travelling by air on Indian aircraft within India (domestic routes of full domestic flights only)".
A Sikh employee was recently barred from performing his duty at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar, because he was carrying Kirpan with him. Following it several Sikh organisations raised questions over it with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami writing a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to revoke the order.
Also read: Sikh man denied entry for carrying kirpan at Delhi airport
