Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Sarkozy Defends Ban On Sikh Turbans At Summit With India's Prime Minister
Friday, April 27, 2012
Delhi, India Will End Helmet Exemption For Women That Originated For Religious Reasons
Wednesday, October 04, 2023
New South Asian Congressional Caucus Launched Amid Criticism from Some Civil Rights Groups
Last week, Michigan Congressman Shri Thanedar announced formation of the 28-member "Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain US Congressional Caucus." According to India West Journal: "The group will address cultural misunderstandings, promote interfaith dialogue and harmony, and support initiatives to promote the well-being, education, and empowerment of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jains in the US." However, four Hindu, Sikh and Muslim civil rights groups issued a press release sharply criticizing formation of the caucus, saying it does not represent all parts of the South Asian community across faith, caste and ethnic lines. The press release says in part:
"... In June of this year, Congressman Thanedar announced his intention to form a Hindu Caucus without input from the full spectrum of Hindu American civil society, including Dalit and linguistic community organizations. This caucus seems to be a new iteration of that previous announcement.”
“If this caucus is that announcement repackaged with a more inclusive label but the same makeup, it will likely combat meaningful oversight of the U.S.-India relationship, ongoing work to protect the civil rights and safety of Sikhs and other marginalized groups, and efforts to ban caste discrimination at a federal level. Moreover, given the lack of Muslim representation, it may oppose ongoing efforts to combat Islamophobia. In short, any caucus without inclusive representation from the Indian diaspora will serve as nothing more than a vehicle for Hindu nationalist policies that will inevitably harm the entire South Asian American community, including Sikh, Muslim, Dalit, Buddhist, Jain, and even Hindu Americans.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
New York Court Lifts Kirpan Ban After Sikh Groups Resolve Dispute
After protests by Sikhs in the US and elsewhere against the ban on their religious right to wear the kirpan, the Akal Takht – the supreme spiritual institution of the Sikhs in Amritsar – appointed a seven-member committee in the US to get the kirpan ban removed, and help the two warring parties at the gurdwara resolve differences.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
D.C. Police Department Allows Sikh Officers To Wear Turbans, Beards
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
European Parliament Says Sikh Members Cannot Wear Kirpan In Building
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Amtrak Bus Driver Refuses To Allow Sikh Student To Board Wearing Kirpan
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Via Rail Will Allow Sikhs To Carry Kirpans; Sikh Wins Suit Against Bally
Meanwhile, in Fresno, California, a consent decree approved last week orders Bally Total Fitness to pay "Devin" Singh Dhaliwal, a Sikh, $24,000 in damages. The health club must also provide its Fresno managers with training in equal opportunity hiring practices. According to the Associated Press, in a job interview Dhaliwal was asked where his parents were born, what his religion is, and whether he is a Muslim.
Friday, August 24, 2007
DC Police Get Training To Understand Sikh Community
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Religious Group Lacks Standing To Sue For-Profit Board For Breach of Duty
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
DOJ Requires Georgia County To Provide Extensive Training To Prevent Religious Bullying of Sikhs and Others
to develop and implement annual age and position-appropriate trainings on religious and national origin harassment for all students, staff who interact with students (including administrators, teachers, counselors, and bus drivers), and District-level administrators who interact with students or who are involved in addressing harassment or bullying in the District. The District will implement separate student- and staff-specific trainings....All trainings must include:
A facilitated discussion of the root causes of religious and national origin harassment and the harms resulting from such conduct, including but not limited to issues related to post-9/11 backlash and the perpetuation of negative stereotypes impacting the Sikh, Muslim, South Asian, and Arab-American communities....
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Bankruptcy Court Settlement of Dispute Over Sikh Assets Approved
The feuding religious leaders and business leaders of the Sikh community founded by the late Yogi Bhajan agreed to drop their legal claims against each other. They will move on with an orderly give-and-take of payments and a transition to new leadership for the community’s for-profit companies, including East West Tea Company LLC.... Under the settlement agreement, former Eugene resident and prominent local businessman Kartar Singh Khalsa, will resign from the Unto Infinity management board that controlled the Sikh community’s for-profit companies and religious and educational charities.
Friday, March 09, 2007
California Board Wants Picture Of Sikh Leader Eliminated From Textbook
Sunday, October 25, 2009
U.S. Army For First Time Allows Sikh To Serve While Wearing Turban
Thursday, December 19, 2019
British Court Says Sikh Challenge To Census Proposal Is Premature
[T]his claim is a pre-emptive challenge to the exercise of the Queen's powers ... before the Minister has made a final decision on the form of the census questionnaire, or laid the draft delegated legislation before Parliament, and before Parliament and the Queen in Council have had an opportunity to consider it. The Defendant submits that the claim is premature, and in breach of Parliamentary privilege, as a declaration in the terms sought would not respect the separation of powers between the legislature and the judiciary.Law & Religion UK has more on the decision.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Irish Sikh Group To Challenge No-Turban Policy of Police Reserve
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Pentagon Chaplain Hosts First Ever Sikh Program
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Sikh Man Says California's Assault Weapons Ban Violates His Religious Beliefs
Mainstream Sikh doctrine since the time of Guru Gobind Singh requires that Sikhs be at all times FULLY prepared to defend themselves and others against injustice. Some splinter groups attempt this by wearing symbolic miniature daggers in their turbans, to comply with this requirement. But mainstream Sikhs believe that the requirement is a literal and true moral duty.Citing attacks and threats on Sikhs since 9/11, plaintiff also claims that the Second Amendment protects his right to be reasonably armed in places and at times in which he and other Sikhs are likely to be attacked-- in his home, on the streets and in his temple. News10 reports on the lawsuit.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Canadian and Indian Governments Express Concern With Pro-Khalisan Activity By Canadian Sikhs
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases
In Malipurathu v. Johnson, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160529 (ND OK, Nov. 13, 2014), an Oklahoma federal district court dismissed complaints by a Sikh inmate that he was not permitted to obtain a halal diet until he listed his religion as Sikh/ Islam. Plaintiff never requested that the Department of Corrections add the Sikh religion to the list of those entitled to a halal diet. The court also dismissed various complaints about the content of halal meals served to plaintiff.
In Snodgrass v. Robinson, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 161517 (WD VA, Nov. 17, 2014), a Virginia federal district court refused to dismiss a Muslim inmate's complaint that he was not permitted to participate in the 2013 Ramadan fast.
In Amos v. Stolzer, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 161557 (ED MO, Nov. 18, 2014), a Missouri federal district court permitted a Muslim inmate to proceed against a jail sergeant, but not against other defendants, in his complaint that he was denied halal food, a "hardback" Qur'an, a "prayer rug" and access to religious services with an Imam. His Establishment Clause claim based on the absence of Muslim clergy on the authorized clergy list was dismissed.
In Pegues v. Billingsley, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 161842 (CD IL, Nov. 19, 2014), an Illinois federal district court permitted a "vegetarian Ethiopian Jewish" pre-trial detainee to proceed with his complaint that he has been denied pastoral care from any religious volunteers, and has been denied the opportunity to meet with religious leaders in retaliation for his filing complaints.