Sikhs to raise turban issue with Sarkozy

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) A large number of Sikh organisations will seek lifting of ban on turbans in French schools with President Nicolas Sarkozy during his visit to India later this month.

The Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to raise the issue with the French President.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Delhi, today said it will hand over a memorandum to Mr Sarkozy through French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont, demanding lifting of ban on wearing turbans in France.

The memorandum would be presented to the French Ambassador at the Embassy here tomorrow.

Mr Sarkozy would be the chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade.

Another organisation, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), would organise a candle light march of hundreds of thousands of students of Guru Harkrishan Public and Khalsa Schools tomorrow to mark a protest against the ban.

The march would start from Gurdwara Bangla Sahib and culminate at Jantar Mantar here.

The French government had imposed the ban on wearing of turbans by the Sikh students in schools and colleges in France about three years ago.

UNI AG MSJ KP2005