Kirpan banned in New South Wales schools after racist bullying stabbing incident

NOTE- Kirpan ban reversed. See details: Religious knives known as kirpans to be allowed in NSW schools after ban reversed – ABC News

Kirpans have been banned in schools across the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) after a 14-year-old Amritdhari (initiated Sikh) pupil was involved in a stabbing incident with a 16-year-old male, at a school with known for “bullying and racial attacks”.

A kirpan (small sword) is an article of faith part of the Punj Kakkar (Five Ks) uniform adorned by Amritdharis, as part of their role with the Khalsa, open for both men and women. The Khalsa are the collective body of initiated Sikhs, committed to upholding justice and serving the needy, whilst maintaining a lifestyle revolved around Sikh practice. The kirpan is only to be used by a Sikh as a last resort for self-defence.

The incident occurred in Sydney’s Glenwood High School, a school associated with a notorious racist bullying issue. The racist bullying and violence was deemed so bad that a petition was recently started to demand “action against Glenwood High School’s poor management on bullying.” Over 16,000 people signed the petition, which even detailed an incident of a Sikh pupil’s dastaar (turban) being taken off.

Although details on the stabbing incident are limited, what is known is that a Sikh Amritdhari pupil struck an older boy twice with his kirpan leading to the boy’s hospitalisation, in an incident confirmed as being linked with racist bullying from Amar Singh, president of Turbans 4 Australia.

In an interview with ABC News, Amar Singh said “The issue is localised. The racism and bullying that has been happening for months now brought this incident to boil. Parents have pulled their kids out of this school because the issue is so bad. It was a 14-year-old attacking a 16-year-old. The older kids are bullying younger kids in the school.”

Amar Singh also explained that despite there being no real age limit on becoming an initiated Sikh, the practice of wearing a kirpan is only allowed with maintaining spiritual Sikh practices and keeping a disciplined lifestyle, even for children. The kirpan is worn freely by Sikhs in schools in India, Canada, the UK, the USA and many other countries. To date, this is believed to be the first ever school incident of this kind involving a kirpan. Given the kirpan is worn at all times, countless Sikh doctors, teachers, police officers and parliament workers also wear the kirpan in their everyday lives.

Sikh educator Harman Singh of international Sikh educational outlet Basics of Sikhi said “Sikhs are regularly celebrated across Australia for our seva (selfless service), which is part of our faith. That aspect of our faith is entirely tied in with the reason a Sikh wears a kirpan. It is mandatory for Khalsa to wear a kirpan and that will never change.

“What can change is the issue of racist bullying in Australia. Pupils at New South Wales schools will still have access to pencils, compasses, knives and forks and more. There are more stabbing incidents with high-heeled shoes than with kirpans.

“Without addressing the bullying of Sikh children in Australia’s schools, the education minister is not dealing with the cause of this single incident and is instead being reactionary and not dealing with the root cause.”

Anti-Sikh prejudice has been documented across countless sectors of Australian society, including targeted towards white Sikhs, as seen through a petition calling for action regarding an Amritdhari NSW police officer facing “racial harrasment” from his colleagues.

Despite the well known history of racist bullying at the school, Australian media have not mentioned that aspect of the incident, something Jasveer Singh of The Sikh Press Association called a “cover-up”.

“Most Australian media has not even mentioned the fact 16,000 people called for this school to address racist attacks on Sikh pupils. At best, Australian media outlets have reduced the topic of racist bullying to one line within their coverage of this incident. This is a cover-up of what is really at the heart of the incident according to Australia’s Sikhs, and that is an epidemic of racist bullying of Sikh pupils”, said Jasveer Singh.

Sikh legal advocacy charity United Sikhs have criticised the ban, which comes into affect from 19th May, as issued by NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell. The organisation stated “The government should have consulted the Sikh community appropriately”, when commenting on a private consultation with two Sikh figures which led to the ban. Official appeals against the decision are expected to be formalised as soon as possible, with countless Sikhs across the world criticising the approach by Australian officials.

A statement by one Sikh figure has also come in for criticism, after Bawa Singh Jagdev said the ban was “overdue” because the kirpan is “dangerous” and Sikh children are not “mature” enough to wear one, despite the fact millions of Sikh pupils wear one everyday in schools across the world without incident.

A member of Australia’s Sikh community that asked to remain anonymous said of the statement from Jagdev, who is believed to be the secretary of the Sikh Council of Australia, “It is a great shame Australian media are giving him any attention. He is not any kind of community leader and does not reflect Sikh sentiment.

“Jagdev is actually unliked by many within Australia’s Sikh community for his history of making homophobic comments and claiming the Sikh practice of sitting on the floor for langar (Sikh communal kitchen service) is ‘unhygenic’.

“Jagdev is largely viewed as an opportunist that looks to say anything which may further his own business and political ambitions. Australia’s Sikhs will be fighting this kirpan ban regardless of what Jagdev says.”

The Sikh Press Association are in touch with local Sikh groups involved in this issue. Updates on this story will be provided as soon as possible.