JALANDHAR: Following a Supreme court query if turban is mandatory for Sikhs or just covering the head, Sikh leaders have started reacting strongly. Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) president Paramjit Singh Sarna , who earlier headed Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) also on Saturday said that the query was shocking and surprising. Meanwhile DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK has said that the Committee would intervene in the issue.SC posed this question about the relevance of the Sikh turban in response to a Sikh cyclist’s petition who had moved the apex court after he was not given permission to participate in a cycling competition without wearing helmet.“Did any judge ask the Sikhs to replace their turbans with helmets when they fought and died on the front line during wars? Could this bench pose such question to Justice Khehar when he was the Chief Justice of India? Could any SC judge ask Dr Manmohan Singh why he wore a turban all the time while leading the country for 10 years? Why such question by India’s highest court is asked now?” asked Sarna in a statement issued on Saturday.He also said that this question was coming at a time when SC was facing strong issues which were already in the public domain."What should SC or for that matter anyone put a question mark on the proud symbol of Sikh identity,” asked Sarna. He reminded the bench questioning the Sikh turban to refresh its own understanding of India’s history and the place the Sikh turbans hold in it.Meanwhile SAD (Badal)’s Delhi unit president and DSGMC chief Manjit Singh GK said that DSGMC would intervene in the case in the apex court. Expressing surprise at the SC query he said, “turban is integral part of Sikh faith and constitution granted freedom of practice of ones faith. Sikhs have been fighting in the Indian army while wearing turbans, they fought two World Wars while wearing turbans. Even foreign countries like UK and Canada had given them exemption from helmet but it is strange that this right was coming under question in India.”

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