Amritsar: The acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, has strongly condemned the denial of entry to Amritdhari candidate Gurpreet Kaur at the Rajasthan High Court (Jodhpur) civil judge recruitment examination in Jaipur for wearing a kirpan, calling it a “gross violation of the Indian Constitution” and an example of “hate discrimination against Sikhs.”
Gurpreet Kaur, who had appeared at the examination centre wearing the kirpan — a mandatory article of faith for Amritdhari Sikhs — was allegedly barred from entry due to it. The incident has sparked widespread outrage within the Sikh community.
“The incident is not just unconstitutional but also reflects a deliberate attempt to harass Sikhs for their distinct religious identity,” said Giani Gargaj.
He questioned the BJP-led Rajasthan state government over its commitment to protecting minority rights and demanded a response.
The Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht has taken up the matter with the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities. Giani Gargaj also pointed out that such discriminatory incidents had occurred last year as well during the same recruitment process in Jaipur and Jodhpur, despite representations made by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and other Sikh bodies.
“Interpretation 1 of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution clearly upholds the right of Sikhs to wear the kirpan as part of their religious practice. Yet, in the very premises of the court that is meant to uphold the Constitution, Amritdhari Sikhs are being denied their rights,” the Jathedar said.
He urged authorities to ensure that such incidents are not repeated and that constitutional protections for religious minorities are respected in practice.
