Are Sikh youth prohibited from wearing the paag (turban) and kada (bracelet) in India?
Opinion by Nimrat Kaur, the Managing Editor of Rozana Spokesman: Politicians often use Sikhs to maintain their political positions. In a recent case in Delhi, the issue of Sikh youth being marginalized has surfaced, marking the second such incident in the last ten days. Politics is driven by self-interest, and these incidents highlight the insecurity faced by Sikhs in India, a sentiment echoed by Rahul Gandhi. But is this truly the case? Are Sikhs really unsafe in India? Are Indian governments hostile towards Sikhs? Are Sikh youth prohibited from wearing the paag (turban) and kada (bracelet) in India?
The reality is complex. On one hand, an MP from Punjab proudly sits beside Rahul Gandhi wearing a turban. Just last week, two turbaned Sikhs were appointed to senior security positions in India—Rajvinder Singh Bhatti was named Director General of CISF, and Amarpreet Singh was appointed Chief of the Air Force.
Turbaned Sikhs have held ministerial positions in the central government before, and continue to do so. Contrary to Rahul Gandhi's comments, there is no specific restriction on Sikhs in India, especially regarding wearing the paag or kada. It seems Rahul may have intended to raise concerns for minority groups, but mentioning Sikhs might have been a misstep, as he perhaps wanted to stand with all religious communities.
This kind of rhetoric stirs certain ideas within Indian society, and Sikhs end up paying the price. Just as Indira Gandhi once used Sikhs to secure her political standing, today it is not only the Congress but all political parties that exploit Sikhs. By portraying Sikhs as being unsafe abroad, Rahul Gandhi is feeding into separatist thinking. This is an irresponsible move.
These are similar tactics to those used by the central government during the farmers' protests. Back then, extremists tried to co-opt the image of Sikhs to bolster the farmers' movement across the country, and the government and media reacted in much the same way that Rahul Gandhi is behaving now. Offering a political ticket to someone like Kangana Ranaut, who has openly expressed anti-Sikh views, is equivalent to endorsing a divisive ideology. Kangana's misrepresentation of Sikhs in the film Emergency only exacerbates the problem. Despite being cautioned by leaders like J.P. Nadda, she continues to spread false narratives—what message does this send?
Ultimately, it is the image of Sikhs that suffers, and it is ordinary Sikhs who bear the brunt of these political maneuvers. Politicians hide behind their security, while Sikhs continue to pay the price. The solution lies in giving full consideration to the rights of Sikhs and Punjab, but political leaders are unlikely to do so, as they have become accustomed to running their political enterprises on the back of these issues. Neither the Sikh leaders nor the politicians seem willing to put an end to this practice.