Right to wear Kirpan, arrests reversed: Difference between revisions
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We urge all [[Sikhs]] to practice their faith fearlessly. If someone tells you to remove your articles of faith, please report the incident online at www.sikhcoalition.org/ListReports.asp. | |||
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh! | |||
A History of Success: The Sikh Coalition Works to Protect the Right to Carry the Kirpan. | |||
--------------------- | |||
==Success stories== | |||
*AT&T reverses policy | |||
{{tocright}} | |||
:Harcharan Singh is an amritdhari Sikh employed by a company called Tech Mahindra. As mandated by his faith, he carries a kirpan. Tech Mahindra sent him from India to Brecksville, Ohio in May of 2007 to provide IT consulting services for AT&T. Shortly after Harcharan Singh started, he voluntarily disclosed to Tech Mahindra and AT&T that he carried a kirpan. Over the course of the summer the two companies discussed the issue of whether Mr. Sandhu should be allowed to carry his kirpan while working at AT&T. | |||
Harcharan Singh | :On September 18, 2007, Tech Mahindra informed Harcharan Singh that AT&T would not allow him to carry a kirpan in the workplace. They gave him an ultimatum: Give up his kirpan or give up his assignment and go back to India. Harcharan Singh contacted the Sikh Coalition later that day. | ||
:On the morning of September 19, 2007, the Coalition faxed a letter to a Senior Technical Director at AT&T that explained the significance of the kirpan and requested that the company reconsider its decision. The letter included the Coalition's now standard twenty-eight page compilation of legal argument and precedent on the kirpan and Sikhs' right to carry it. | |||
:Harcharan Singh (Sandhu), an IT consultant from India will be allowed to continue consulting for AT&T and will not be sent back to India. AT&T reversed its decision one week after the Sikh Coalition's intervention. After reading the letter and attachments, the Senior Technical Director expressed to Harcharan Singh his belief that the kirpan was a religious article and should be allowed in the workplace. However, the Director's superiors at AT&T told him that they must first have staff from the corporate security department view his kirpan before making a final decision. AT&T allowed Harcharan Singh to continue working from its Brecksville, OH office pending its decision. A week later, on September 26, 2007, a corporate security staff member from AT&T's office in Columbus, OH viewed his kirpan and took pictures of it. | |||
:The next day, on September 27, 2007, AT&T informed Tech Mahindra that it would reverse its initial decision and allow him to carry his kirpan in its workplace. | |||
:Harcharan Singh remains in the U.S. and continues to proudly wear his kirpan in his workplace at AT&T. | |||
:The Coalition would like to thank AT&T for its prompt attention to its concerns and its work to ensure the workplace is respectful of America's diversity. | |||
*John F. Kennedy Airport vs. Makhan Singh | |||
November 8, 2001: The Queens District Attorney's office decides to drop weapons possession charges against Makhan Singh for wearing a one foot long kirpan openly over his clothing in John F. Kennedy Airport. | November 8, 2001: The Queens District Attorney's office decides to drop weapons possession charges against Makhan Singh for wearing a one foot long kirpan openly over his clothing in John F. Kennedy Airport. | ||
*Tennessee, Knox County vs. Charanjit Singh Dhadwal | |||
December 6, 2001: The Knox County Prosecutor's office drops weapons possession charges against Charanjit Singh for carrying a kirpan on his person while he was driving his truck through Tennessee. | December 6, 2001: The Knox County Prosecutor's office drops weapons possession charges against Charanjit Singh for carrying a kirpan on his person while he was driving his truck through Tennessee. | ||
*City of New York vs. Harjit Singh and Lal Singh Jassal | |||
January 2002: A judge in criminal court in Manhattan dismissed criminal charges against Harjit Singh and Lal Singh for wearing a kirpan after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith. | January 2002: A judge in criminal court in Manhattan dismissed criminal charges against Harjit Singh and Lal Singh for wearing a kirpan after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith. | ||
*Menomee Falls vs. Hargian Singh | |||
August 29, 2002: Hargian Singh was given a citation for wearing a kirpan in Menomee Falls, Wisconsin. At trial the judge dismissed the charges and apologized to Hargian Singh after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith. | August 29, 2002: Hargian Singh was given a citation for wearing a kirpan in Menomee Falls, Wisconsin. At trial the judge dismissed the charges and apologized to Hargian Singh after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith. | ||
*New York City vs. Joginder Singh | |||
October 31, 2002: A judge in criminal court in Manhattan dismissed criminal charges against Joginder Singh for wearing a kirpan after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith. | October 31, 2002: A judge in criminal court in Manhattan dismissed criminal charges against Joginder Singh for wearing a kirpan after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith. | ||
*Scagville, Maryland vs. Avtar Singh and Hardeep Singh | |||
February 19, 2003: Police in Scagville, Maryland release Avtar Singh and Hardeep Singh who they had detained for one hour after they received a faxed letter from the Sikh Coalition explaining that their kirpan are protected religious articles. | February 19, 2003: Police in Scagville, Maryland release Avtar Singh and Hardeep Singh who they had detained for one hour after they received a faxed letter from the Sikh Coalition explaining that their kirpan are protected religious articles. | ||
*New York vs. Kashmir Singh | |||
April 13, 2004: A prosecutor in Manhattan drops criminal charges against a Sikh cab driver for carrying the kirpan. | April 13, 2004: A prosecutor in Manhattan drops criminal charges against a Sikh cab driver for carrying the kirpan. | ||
*State of Montana v. Sarjeet Singh and Gurnam Singh | |||
April 20, 2004: A prosecutor in Big Horn County, Montana drops a kirpan prosecution against two Sikh truckers for carrying kirpans on their persons while driving through Montana. | April 20, 2004: A prosecutor in Big Horn County, Montana drops a kirpan prosecution against two Sikh truckers for carrying kirpans on their persons while driving through Montana. | ||
*Ohio v. Anoop Kaur Ahluwalia | |||
May 12, 2004: Weapon possession charge dropped against a Sikh woman who entered an airport wearing her kirpan. | May 12, 2004: Weapon possession charge dropped against a Sikh woman who entered an airport wearing her kirpan. | ||
*City of Bellevue, Washington vs. Gagandeep Singh== | |||
September 17, 2004, criminal charges dropped for carry the kirpan by local prosecutors in Bellevue, Washington. | September 17, 2004, criminal charges dropped for carry the kirpan by local prosecutors in Bellevue, Washington. | ||
*State of Washington, County of Kittitas vs. Gajjan Singh Bal | |||
July 28, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh trucker are dropped for carrying his kirpan while working by local prosecutors in Kittitas County, Washington. | July 28, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh trucker are dropped for carrying his kirpan while working by local prosecutors in Kittitas County, Washington. | ||
*State of California vs. Kamaldeep Singh | |||
August 4, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh student for carrying the kirpan while studying in the cafeteria are dropped by local prosecutors. | August 4, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh student for carrying the kirpan while studying in the cafeteria are dropped by local prosecutors. | ||
*State of Michigan vs. Bhagwant Singh | |||
August 16, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh for carrying his kirpan while waiting for his father in his car outside an airport are dropped by local prosecutors in Wayne County, Michigan. | August 16, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh for carrying his kirpan while waiting for his father in his car outside an airport are dropped by local prosecutors in Wayne County, Michigan. | ||
*Oregon vs. Gurpal Singh | |||
October 1, 2004 - Prosecutors in Roseberg, Oregon decline to file criminal charges against Gurpal Singh (Gill), a Sikh truck driver who was issued a criminal citation for carrying his kirpan, after the Sikh Coalition intervenes. | October 1, 2004 - Prosecutors in Roseberg, Oregon decline to file criminal charges against Gurpal Singh (Gill), a Sikh truck driver who was issued a criminal citation for carrying his kirpan, after the Sikh Coalition intervenes. | ||
[[Category:politics]] | [[Category:politics]] | ||
{{Legal}} |
Latest revision as of 18:15, 21 July 2018
We urge all Sikhs to practice their faith fearlessly. If someone tells you to remove your articles of faith, please report the incident online at www.sikhcoalition.org/ListReports.asp.
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!
A History of Success: The Sikh Coalition Works to Protect the Right to Carry the Kirpan.
Success stories
- AT&T reverses policy
- Harcharan Singh is an amritdhari Sikh employed by a company called Tech Mahindra. As mandated by his faith, he carries a kirpan. Tech Mahindra sent him from India to Brecksville, Ohio in May of 2007 to provide IT consulting services for AT&T. Shortly after Harcharan Singh started, he voluntarily disclosed to Tech Mahindra and AT&T that he carried a kirpan. Over the course of the summer the two companies discussed the issue of whether Mr. Sandhu should be allowed to carry his kirpan while working at AT&T.
- On September 18, 2007, Tech Mahindra informed Harcharan Singh that AT&T would not allow him to carry a kirpan in the workplace. They gave him an ultimatum: Give up his kirpan or give up his assignment and go back to India. Harcharan Singh contacted the Sikh Coalition later that day.
- On the morning of September 19, 2007, the Coalition faxed a letter to a Senior Technical Director at AT&T that explained the significance of the kirpan and requested that the company reconsider its decision. The letter included the Coalition's now standard twenty-eight page compilation of legal argument and precedent on the kirpan and Sikhs' right to carry it.
- Harcharan Singh (Sandhu), an IT consultant from India will be allowed to continue consulting for AT&T and will not be sent back to India. AT&T reversed its decision one week after the Sikh Coalition's intervention. After reading the letter and attachments, the Senior Technical Director expressed to Harcharan Singh his belief that the kirpan was a religious article and should be allowed in the workplace. However, the Director's superiors at AT&T told him that they must first have staff from the corporate security department view his kirpan before making a final decision. AT&T allowed Harcharan Singh to continue working from its Brecksville, OH office pending its decision. A week later, on September 26, 2007, a corporate security staff member from AT&T's office in Columbus, OH viewed his kirpan and took pictures of it.
- The next day, on September 27, 2007, AT&T informed Tech Mahindra that it would reverse its initial decision and allow him to carry his kirpan in its workplace.
- Harcharan Singh remains in the U.S. and continues to proudly wear his kirpan in his workplace at AT&T.
- The Coalition would like to thank AT&T for its prompt attention to its concerns and its work to ensure the workplace is respectful of America's diversity.
- John F. Kennedy Airport vs. Makhan Singh
November 8, 2001: The Queens District Attorney's office decides to drop weapons possession charges against Makhan Singh for wearing a one foot long kirpan openly over his clothing in John F. Kennedy Airport.
- Tennessee, Knox County vs. Charanjit Singh Dhadwal
December 6, 2001: The Knox County Prosecutor's office drops weapons possession charges against Charanjit Singh for carrying a kirpan on his person while he was driving his truck through Tennessee.
- City of New York vs. Harjit Singh and Lal Singh Jassal
January 2002: A judge in criminal court in Manhattan dismissed criminal charges against Harjit Singh and Lal Singh for wearing a kirpan after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith.
- Menomee Falls vs. Hargian Singh
August 29, 2002: Hargian Singh was given a citation for wearing a kirpan in Menomee Falls, Wisconsin. At trial the judge dismissed the charges and apologized to Hargian Singh after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith.
- New York City vs. Joginder Singh
October 31, 2002: A judge in criminal court in Manhattan dismissed criminal charges against Joginder Singh for wearing a kirpan after learning that the kirpan is a religious article of faith.
- Scagville, Maryland vs. Avtar Singh and Hardeep Singh
February 19, 2003: Police in Scagville, Maryland release Avtar Singh and Hardeep Singh who they had detained for one hour after they received a faxed letter from the Sikh Coalition explaining that their kirpan are protected religious articles.
- New York vs. Kashmir Singh
April 13, 2004: A prosecutor in Manhattan drops criminal charges against a Sikh cab driver for carrying the kirpan.
- State of Montana v. Sarjeet Singh and Gurnam Singh
April 20, 2004: A prosecutor in Big Horn County, Montana drops a kirpan prosecution against two Sikh truckers for carrying kirpans on their persons while driving through Montana.
- Ohio v. Anoop Kaur Ahluwalia
May 12, 2004: Weapon possession charge dropped against a Sikh woman who entered an airport wearing her kirpan.
- City of Bellevue, Washington vs. Gagandeep Singh==
September 17, 2004, criminal charges dropped for carry the kirpan by local prosecutors in Bellevue, Washington.
- State of Washington, County of Kittitas vs. Gajjan Singh Bal
July 28, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh trucker are dropped for carrying his kirpan while working by local prosecutors in Kittitas County, Washington.
- State of California vs. Kamaldeep Singh
August 4, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh student for carrying the kirpan while studying in the cafeteria are dropped by local prosecutors.
- State of Michigan vs. Bhagwant Singh
August 16, 2004, criminal charges against a Sikh for carrying his kirpan while waiting for his father in his car outside an airport are dropped by local prosecutors in Wayne County, Michigan.
- Oregon vs. Gurpal Singh
October 1, 2004 - Prosecutors in Roseberg, Oregon decline to file criminal charges against Gurpal Singh (Gill), a Sikh truck driver who was issued a criminal citation for carrying his kirpan, after the Sikh Coalition intervenes.