Chandigarh: The Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) as well as the Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of the Sikhs, has objected to the Army’s plans to procure specialised ballistic helmets for Sikh soldiers.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami Thursday wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urging him to withdraw the decision on the grounds that it violated the Sikh code of conduct, besides “destroying” the unique identity of Sikhs in the defence services.
This was after the Army’s Directorate General of Combat Engineers sought 12,730 ballistic helmets — 8,911 large and 3,819 extra-large — for Sikh troops under emergency procurement.
As per the tender issued by the Army, the helmet should have a centre bulge design. The bolt-free helmet is required to give equal protection throughout the covered area against 9x19mm bullet fired from a range of about 400 metres. It should be able to operate between minus 20 degrees Celsius to 45 degree Celsius.
In a statement issued at Amritsar, Dhami said the decision to implement a special helmet for Sikhs will not only “destroy the unique Sikh identity” but also violate the Sikh Maryada (code of conduct).
He said the turban is not merely a cloth, but it is also a symbol of Sikh identity besides having spiritual and temporal significance. “The commitment of Sikhs to the turban also reflects Sikh pride and adherence to the Guru’s command,” said Dhami
Ordering a Sikh soldier to take off his turban and wear a helmet just because it offers better protection to his head, reflects the ignorance of the Sikh’s psyche and a Sikh’s attachment to the turban, the SGPC president said.
The decision of forcing Sikh soldiers to wear helmets is hurtful to the religious sentiments of the community, he added.
In his letter to the Defence Minister, Dhami gave the examples of turbaned Sikh soldiers fighting wars including the battles with Mughals, the Battle of Saragarhi, the World Wars, and the wars fought by the Indian Army in the past.
“Even in the Indian Army, the Sikh soldiers serving in Sikh Regiment, Sikh Light Infantry, and Punjab Regiment, are performing their duties diligently to protect the country,” he wrote.
India is a multi-religious country and the people of different communities have the right to serve for the nation while practicing their religion, the SGPC president said. “People of different faiths working in armed and paramilitary forces reflect the diversity and colours of our nation.”
In a video message, Akal Takth jathedar (chief) Giani Harpreet Singh has also objected to the move of the Army.
“A similar attempt was made by the British for the Sikh soldiers during the Second World War, which was then rejected by the Sikhs. A turban is not (only) a cloth of 5-7 metres on the head of a Sikh, but a crown given by our gurus. It is a symbol of our unique identity,” Singh said. “Any attempt to replace the turban with a helmet will be seen as an attempt to suppress our identity. The Sikh panth (community) will not tolerate this.”
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has also objected to the move. “Turban is a symbol of our religious identity and has been placed on our heads by our great Guru Sahiban. Decision of the GOI to make Sikh soldiers wearing helmets mandatory is an attack on our religious identity. I urge the Govt of India to reconsider this decision,” the former Punjab deputy chief minister tweeted.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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