SGPC-Akali Dal Will Not Be Raising “Turban Ban” Issue with French President during his Chandigarh Visit

Posted: 22 Jan 2016 10:09 AM PST

 

CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Sikh24 has learnt from internal sources that neither Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) or the SGPC officials have contacted the French Prime Minister’s Office to raise the issue of ban on turbans in France.  President of France, François Hollande will be visiting Chandigarh on January 24, he however has no meeting scheduled with the SGPC.
Sikh24’s Amritsar Sahib correspondent reached out to the SGPC’s Additional Secretary, Diljeet Singh Bedi, to question if SGPC had any plans in mind.  S. Bedi was clueless about the visit of François Hollande, however he claimed that the SGPC has written a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to talk about Sikh issues with his French counterpart.
On the condition of anonymity, a senior official of the SGPC ruled out the claims by Diljeet Singh Bedi.  He told Sikh24 that so far the SGPC has not made any effort to contact the Indian Prime Minister to raise Sikh issues with the French President.  “SGPC has certainly given several statements in various newspapers seeking the Indian PM to take action, however, they have not personally written or contacted Narendra Modi, or the foreign affairs’ office,” Sikh24 was told.
Sikh24 also reached out to Akali Dal MP Prem Singh Chandimajra regarding the visit of the French President, asking him to take up the issue of turban ban.  Chandumajra however said that the entire schedule of the French President’s visit to Chandigarh was planned much earlier and they have been unable to book a meeting with him.  Chandumajra however said that he will ask the SGPC to move further about the issue.