French Sikhs Ask Indian PM to Intervene in Religious Symbols/Turban Issue

August 4, 2004

Source: NDTV

http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Sikhs+in+France+seek+PM%27s+intervention&id=58240

On August 4, 2004 NDTV reported, "France's tiny Sikh community is now looking to [Indian] Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for help. They want him to intervene against a French law that bans wearing noticeable religious symbols in schools. According to the law, young Sikh boys may not be allowed to wear their turbans to school. The Sikhs in France are hoping that a Prime Minister, who also wears a turban, may do a better job of convincing the French government of how important their headgear is. 'We want Singh to send a delegation to France and explain the importance of the turban to the Sikhs. A Sikh cannot live without his turban, it is his identity,' said Gurdev Singh, member Gurdwara Singh Sabha Paris...The Indian government had raised the issue with the French foreign minister earlier and the minister assured them that the Sikhs will not be singled out."