NEW DELHI: For the second time on, Wednesday Simranjit Singh Mann, President Akali Dal (M) and MP elect and his Colleague Dhian Singh Mand,M.P elect, were not allowed to enter parliament with their kirpan.

Both leaders staged a 15 minute demonstration, along with five supporters, at gate number One of Parliament house to protest speaker Rabi Ray’s verbal Order, banning their entry with the kirpan,

Mann and Mand were stopped at gate number three by the watch and ward staff and told they could enter the house if they deposited their sword at the gate.

Mann insisted that the speaker’s orders be shown to him. “It is my constitutional right under article 24 of the constitution to carry the kirpan to the house, Mann said, adding that Kirpan was not a weapon but an emblem.

“If Hindus can go to parliament with the Janeu (sacred thread) why cannot I go with the sword,” he said.

Subramaniam Swamy, Janata Party leader, who came to Receive Mann at the gate said an all party meeting chaired by the federal home minister, Mr. Mufti Mohd Sayeed, was held on Wednesday morning to discuss the “kirpan issue,”

Swamy said the meeting decided to amend the parliament rules to allow Mann and his colleague to take oath carrying his kirpan at a designated place on any holiday, as was the practice in some state assemblies.

He said it would take a minimum of seven days for the amendment rule at the meeting.

Commenting on the ban on his entry to parliament, Mann said “it is a height of arbitrariness” and advised the watch and ward staff not to obey the “illegal orders.”

Then Mann and Mand, along with five of their supporters, sat on Dharnaat the stairs leading to gate number one. The watch and ward staff formed a human chain to protect the protestors and then erected a rope to keep the newsmen and photographers at a distance.

After 15 minutes Mann and his supporters stood up and raised their religious slogan “Jo Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal’’ and marched out of the house.

Addressing supporters near the parliament annexe, Mann said, “we have achieved victory and an amendment to carry kirpans in the house is in the offing.”

Earlier Mann chaired a meeting of the executive committee of his party at the Gurdwara Rakabganj. Mann and Mand then led a procession to the parliament house. The two leaders and others who had parliamentary passes were allowed to go towards the parliament house but the rest were stopped at the roundabout.

Speaking to reporters at the Gurdwara, Mann condemned the killings at Batala where, he said, both Hindus and Sikhs had been killed. “I condemn killings, be they anybody,” he said, adding that at least 40 Sikhs had been killed recently in fake encounters.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 13, 1990