Summary:
CHANDIGARH:Sikh women will no longer have to wear helmets. We met the authorities a number of times on the issue and also organised a peaceful protest.” The Union home ministry on Thursday asked the UT administration to follow the notification issued by the Delhi government, giving exemption to Sikh women driving two-wheelers.The MHA order came following a meeting of former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal with Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday.On July 6, the Chandigarh administration had issued a notification, making helmets compulsory for all women, except Sikh women who wore turbans. “We may receive it in a day or two,” said a senior UT officer.After the earlier notification, UT traffic police had run a special awareness campaign titled ‘Helmet Pehno, Beti Bachao’, while the Chandigarh wing of the SAD had organised a protest rally.Welcoming the MHA move, local SAD leaders termed it as their victory.Hardeep Singh, president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Chandigarh, said, “The decision is victory of the Sikh beliefs. On the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court, the administration had made an amendment in the Chandigarh Motor Vehicle Rules, 1990, paving way for making helmet mandatory for all.In a statement, Badal said, “The home minister has assured that the notification issued in July 2018, making it mandatory for Sikh women to wear helmets, would be withdrawn.”During a meeting in Delhi, the SAD delegation apprised the home minister that the notification was against the spirit of the Supreme Court judgment on the issue and also against the Sikh rehat maryada.The administration officials said they were yet to receive any intimation from the Centre..