S. Rajgopalan
WASHINGTON: In a major disappointment to California’s Sikh community, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a B
ill that would have made it mandatory for law enforcement officers to be educated about the ‘kirpan’.
The Bill, intended to help stem the arrests of Sikhs for carrying their article of faith, had been passed unanimously by both Houses of the state legislature and there was a general expectation that the governor will sign the measure into law.
But in a surprise move, Schwarzenegger termed the legislation “unnecessary” and vetoed it, pouring cold water on the Sikh community’s efforts to use the California Bill as a model legislation across the United States in their protracted battle over the ‘kirpan’.
Sikh organisations suspect that the final veto was the result of the law enforcement agencies’ strong desire to avoid promoting the acceptance of Sikhs with ‘kirpans’.
“We have been here in (California) for over 100 years. It’s a shame that we haven’t been able to get even a basic education bill passed,” lamented Prabhjot Singh, the Sikh Coalition Board Chairman.
Activists of the Sikh community, who have been closely following the progress of the California Bill, termed the veto a big blow.
In the enhanced security system that has been in place since 9/11, there has been a marked increase in arrests of Sikhs for carrying ‘kirpans’ with the police treating them as violation of concealed weapons laws, disregarding protestations that the arrests violate Sikhs’ religious rights.
“This loss for the Sikh community is a reminder of our serious lack of political clout in this state.
After months of hard work and 100 per cent support from our lawmakers, the Sikh voice was still not strong enough to overcome the whim of one man,” said Prabhjot Singh.
The Bill, AB 504, was introduced last February by Democrat Warre
n Furutani in the California Assembly in response to the Sikhs’ long-standing representations.
The Bill did not touch on the legality of the ‘kirpan’, but asked that police officers be trained about who Sikhs are and learn about the significance of the ‘kirpan’, in the hope that religious understanding would decrease arrests.
“The Governor’s response is very disappointing. It shows his lack of support for promoting religious understanding in California.
It is an utter shame that he does not understand the value of educating our law enforcement agencies on the diverse communities they are policing,” said Neha Singh, Western Region Director of the Sikh Coalition.
The Sikh Coalition, which has taken the lead in pushing the legislation, said it hopes to work with lawmaker Furutani to reintroduce the Bill in next year’s session. “I am committed to carrying this legislation again until this or any other governor signs it. I urge the Sikh community to stand with me as we continue this fight,” said Furutani.
WASHINGTON: In a major disappointment to California’s Sikh community, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a B
ill that would have made it mandatory for law enforcement officers to be educated about the ‘kirpan’.The Bill, intended to help stem the arrests of Sikhs for carrying their article of faith, had been passed unanimously by both Houses of the state legislature and there was a general expectation that the governor will sign the measure into law.
But in a surprise move, Schwarzenegger termed the legislation “unnecessary” and vetoed it, pouring cold water on the Sikh community’s efforts to use the California Bill as a model legislation across the United States in their protracted battle over the ‘kirpan’.
Sikh organisations suspect that the final veto was the result of the law enforcement agencies’ strong desire to avoid promoting the acceptance of Sikhs with ‘kirpans’.
“We have been here in (California) for over 100 years. It’s a shame that we haven’t been able to get even a basic education bill passed,” lamented Prabhjot Singh, the Sikh Coalition Board Chairman.
Activists of the Sikh community, who have been closely following the progress of the California Bill, termed the veto a big blow.
In the enhanced security system that has been in place since 9/11, there has been a marked increase in arrests of Sikhs for carrying ‘kirpans’ with the police treating them as violation of concealed weapons laws, disregarding protestations that the arrests violate Sikhs’ religious rights.
“This loss for the Sikh community is a reminder of our serious lack of political clout in this state.
After months of hard work and 100 per cent support from our lawmakers, the Sikh voice was still not strong enough to overcome the whim of one man,” said Prabhjot Singh.
The Bill, AB 504, was introduced last February by Democrat Warre
n Furutani in the California Assembly in response to the Sikhs’ long-standing representations.The Bill did not touch on the legality of the ‘kirpan’, but asked that police officers be trained about who Sikhs are and learn about the significance of the ‘kirpan’, in the hope that religious understanding would decrease arrests.
“The Governor’s response is very disappointing. It shows his lack of support for promoting religious understanding in California.
It is an utter shame that he does not understand the value of educating our law enforcement agencies on the diverse communities they are policing,” said Neha Singh, Western Region Director of the Sikh Coalition.
The Sikh Coalition, which has taken the lead in pushing the legislation, said it hopes to work with lawmaker Furutani to reintroduce the Bill in next year’s session. “I am committed to carrying this legislation again until this or any other governor signs it. I urge the Sikh community to stand with me as we continue this fight,” said Furutani.
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