UNITED SIKHS, which is registered as a United Nations associated advocacy and humanitarian relief NGO in 10 countries, including Australia, will work with the New South Wales Sikh community, including the Australian Sikh Association that serves the Gurdwara Sahib Glenwood with the largest Sikh congregation in Australia, to ensure the Kirpan is allowed back in NSW schools.

This ban, effective from19th May 2021, has followed an incident in a school in Sydney on.6th May 2021, when a 14 yr old Sikh student, who is believed to have been bullied at school, is alleged to have used his Kirpan in an incident that, regrettably, resulted in injury to another student.

The government should have consulted the Sikh community appropriately before making a decision to ban the Kirpan, an article of faith that has been worn by initiated Sikhs for more than 300 years. It is believed that the Education Minister Sarah Mitchell MLC had an online meeting with 2 members of the Sikh community when they were informed about the ban. There had been no prior discussion with the Sikh community before the decision to ban the kirpan was taken.

Thr Kirpan is not a knife or a dagger, its an article of faith with deep meaning and purpose. We regret that two youths today are at the centre of the New South Wales government’s decision to ban the Kirpan in schools .

The Kirpan is worn in schools around the world without incident. But the incident cannot make us take regressive steps against religious freedom.

Issued by

International Legal Director

UNITED SIKHS

law-aus@unitedsikhs.org