Sikhs in France are still waiting for the Indian government to intervene urgently and effectively so that their children can attend schools with their turbans. A total of 256 students have been affected since the French government legislated to ban all religious headgears in government schools.
Initially, the ban was directed at hijab worn by Muslim girls. But fearing that courts could decalre the legislation discriminatory, all headgears worn because of religious reasons were included.
UK Sikhs too petitioned the British government to intervene. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair was requested to speak to President Jacques Chirac. Some time ago a large delegation of Sikhs went from here to Paris to show solidarity with the community there and participate in a protest march in Paris.
Sikh leaders in France have been complaining that all of Sikh children were being forced to attend their schools without any covering on their hands. A delegation of French Sikhs also held discussions in India with the Sikh Nation Organisation (SNO) formed by Dr. M. S. Randhawa. He told them attempts were being made to take a delegation of prominent Sikh citizens to France to lobby with the French Government for lifting the ban on wearing of turbans.