‘Decision not acceptable’, Sikh bodies threaten protest

Hardeep Singh Buterla, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)’s local unit, said the decision is not acceptable and the party will hold a massive protest against it

The UT notification on compulsory helmets for women two-wheeler riders has not gone down well with Sikh bodies and politicians.

Hardeep Singh, an SGPC member from Mohali, reasoned that their opposition to helmets was based on religious beliefs thus it is not fair to exempt only turbaned women (HT File Photo)

Only Sikh women wearing a turban have been exempted under it.

Hardeep Singh Buterla, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)’s local unit, said the decision is not acceptable and the party will hold a massive protest against it.

“A meeting of all Sikh organisations of the city was held and it has been decided to first meet the UT administrator in this regard and submit a memorandum. If the administration does not agree to it, we will hold a massive protest against the decision,” he said.

Butrela said women wearing a helmet is against tenets of Sikhism. “Amending the Chandigarh Motor Vehicle Rules, 1990, will hurt sentiments of Sikhs. We will not allow this to happen,” he said.

Meanwhile, Harjinder Kaur, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member from Chandigarh who led the agitation against a similar move in 2000, said the Akal Takht should design a special kind of helmet for Sikh women that can be worn as a turban as and when they are riding a two-wheeler.

“We will not allow ordinary helmets for Sikh women,” she said.

Hardeep Singh, an SGPC member from Mohali, reasoned that their opposition to helmets was based on religious beliefs and exempting only Sikh women made no sense.

“It is not fair to exempt only turbaned women,” he said.

Even in 1998 the high court had restricted the exemption only to “Sikhs wearing turban while driving”. However, it met with resistance from Sikh bodies and city witnessed protests. Sikh bodies had argued that their tenets forbid the wearing of any cap. In 2004, the Supreme Court too ruled that the state had powers to relax rules in a particular area. Following this, Chandigarh relaxed the norms and exempted all women.