The French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, is visiting India on the 24th of January 2008 and will be meeting Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. It is imperative that Dr Manmohan Singh - a Sikh himself, raises the basic Human Right of Sikhs residing in France to wear the Turban in Schools as well as other public spheres of life.
In March 2004 a law was passed in France that banned conspicuous religious symbols and attire in the classroom. Under this law, schoolchildren are banned from wearing the Christian cross, Jewish skull-cap, Islamic head scarf and the Sikh turban.
However, under the French Constitution and Article 9 of the European Convention, the right to practise one's religion can only be derogated on grounds of public security and safety. The Sikh people residing in France and elsewhere across the globe have thusfar never encountered such problems related to security or safety. In fact, in the United Kingdom, Sikhs are able to ride motorcycles and work in the construction industry without wearing helmets.
We appeal to the whole of humanity and the Sikh nation to sign this e-Petition so that we can make our voices heard from around the world and put pressure on the Indian Prime Minister to stand up for the rights of millions of Sikhs.
We, the Sikh community in the UK, passionately appeal to the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh ji, to support the Sikhs in their genuine struggle against the infringement of their basic human rights in a democratic France - a country which is not permitting the Sikhs to wear their turbans in schools.
We, the undersigned members of the Sikh community in UK would like you (Dr Manmohan Singh ji) as the Prime Minister of India to exercise your full diplomatic pressure on the President of France during his forthcoming visit to India in January 2008 and ask the French President to effect the necessary changes in the French law for the sake of restoring the Sikh rights and to allow the Sikhs to wear turbans in schools.
