Akal Takht, SGPC oppose helmets for Sikh soldiers in Indian Army

Tribune News Service

GS Paul

Amritsar, January 12

Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have opposed an Army’s proposal to introduce ballistic helmets for Sikh soldiers, demanding that the move must be withdrawn.

Akal Takht’s officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh has termed it an “attack on the Sikh identity” and asked the Ministry of Defence, the Centre and the Army to reconsider the proposal as it was against the Sikh “rehat maryada” (tenets).

He claimed the British had also tried to introduce a similar proposal during the World War II, but then Sikh soldiers had rejected it.

“Wearing a cap or a helmet is strictly prohibited in the Sikh ‘maryada’. Turban is not just a piece of cloth, but a crown placed on the heads of the Sikhs by the Guru Sahib. It is a symbol of our identity. Replacing it with a helmet will be seen as an attempt to tarnish the Sikh identity. This cannot be tolerated at any cost,” he said.

The Army has the Sikh regiment and Sikh light infantry. Besides, there are a substantial number of Sikh soldiers in the Punjab regiment and other infantry units.

The Ministry of Defence has invited a request for proposal (RFP) for 12,730 ballistic helmets for Sikh troops. Out of these, 8,911 should be of large size and 3,819 extra-large size.

The last date for submitting the bids is January 27.

Harjinder Singh Dhami, SGPC president, has written to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, demanding the withdrawal of the decision.

“Ordering a Sikh soldier to take off his turban and wear a helmet on the pretext that it presumably gives better protection to his head is ignorance of the Sikh’s psyche,” he said.

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