Sir,

Recently I attended a Sunday diwan at the Guru Ghar in Gurdwara Road, Ottawa Canada. After the diwan the Sikh sangat was addressed by a recruiting officer from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police seeking Sikhs for the force. The recruiter laid down the following qualifications for the candidates:

1, Must be Canadian citizen. 2. A High School graduate 3. Good Physical health and 4. Willing to relocate

It was a unique experience for persons like me who in the 24 years of my stay in United States of America have had numerous instances where despite candidates excellent credentials were never given the job opportunity because they were Keshadhari Sikhs. To see a white recruiter in nonwhite territory (Guru Ghar) actively seeking prospective candidates was a very gratifying experience. It may particularly be due to the changing face of Canadian society. A leading role has also been played by the Canadian Sikhs in their just fight for equality before law under the dynamic leadership of S. Gian Singh Sandhu, ex-President WSO Canada who now is President WSO International. I salute to him and his untiring team in their worthy and enviable achievement even though I understand that their next step is to introduce a legislation in the Canadian parliament. There is a similar need to initiate efforts in N.S.A. to remove such barriers is recruitment particularly in defense forces, police and defense academics. (Some of us remember the care of Ravi Singh of Illinois who wanted to go to military academics but was denied the opportunity because of his being. Keshadhari boy. The U.S. Sikhs have tremendous resources both in men and material and can successfully rectify the anomalies if they gird up their loins. An example: An Amritdhari Sikh is required to remove Kirpan while traveling by Air. Khalsa ji Kirpan is not religious symbol as some erroneously believe. It is a gift directly from Guru Gobind Singh ji to his KhaIsa and should be adorned as such and should not be removed at the whims of an arbitrary authority.

 

Amarjit Singh Buttar Vernon CT

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 12, 1989