Union Governments timely intervention with Canadian Counterpart was imperative to safeguard the rights and interests of Sikhs : Sukhbir Singh Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal President and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today urged the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Mr. Salman Khurshid to immediately take up the issue of proposed legislation to apply ban on Turban and Kirpan of Sikhs residing in Quebec province of Canada and said that Union Governments timely intervention with Canadian Counterpart was imperative to safeguard the rights and interests of Sikhs.  In a statement issued here, Mr. Badal said that it was unfortunate that the Quebec assembly is deliberately bringing an ordinance to impose ban on wearing Turban and Kirpan by Sikhs and head gear by Muslims and Jews at public places, schools, colleges and religious places to target minorities which cannot be accepted at any cost. The SAD President said that this move of Quebec State was extremely against the religious rights of Sikhs in that country where in many provinces the Sikhs were dominating and their mother tongue Punjabi has awarded with the status of Second language.   Mr. Badal said that a delegation of SAD MPs would soon call on Prime Minister and Union Minister for External Affairs in this regard. He said that Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who himself a Sikh, should strongly take up this issue with his Canadian counterpart Mr. Stephen Harper, who recently visited Punjab and paid obeisance at Sri Anandpur Sahib. Mr. Badal said that Mr. Harper was well-aware about the rich cultural and religious heritage of Sikhs and the Shiromani Akali Dal would also write to Punjabi MPs in Canada to bring the issue in the knowledge of Mr. Harper. Badal said that Quebec move was chain reaction of failure of Congress led UPA government in forcing French Government to lift bar on Sikh students with Turban in French schools. He said that Shiromani Akali Dal had requested Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to raise this issue strongly during the visit French President to India. He said that it was surprising that what to talk of forcing French Government to revoke undemocratic decision, Indian Government rewarded French Government with multi billion Defence orders. Mr. Badal said that the intention of French population dominated Quebec assembly was to replicate the decision of France after watching the complete failure of Indian Government on this issue. Mr. Badal said that Shiromani Akali Dal would soon organize a protest opposite Canadian Consulate opposing this proposal and handover a memorandum to Canadian Ambassador.