Nitish Sharma
Tribune News Service
Ambala, May 28
Ranjit Singh (82), who fought a legal battle against the French Government to keep intact his identity as a turbaned Sikh, has returned to India with pain in his heart. He rues that neither any Sikh outfit nor the Indian Government helped him in his two-decade-long fight.
Singh, who was born in the district’s Shahpur village, had left for France in 1991. Then, he was issued an ID with the turban and it was due for renewal in 2001. To get the ID renewed, the French authorities asked Singh to get himself photographed, this time without the turban. He, however, refused to comply and, after a couple of years, the French government stopped his social security allowance.
Ranjit took on the French Government and on June 12, 2012, the UN Human Rights Committee concluded that France had violated the religious freedom of Singh. But the French Government refused to extend social security allowance.
Singh returned to India on Saturday to stay with his younger son in Pathankot (Punjab).
He was in Ambala City with his son Manpreet Singh and daughter-in-law Kamaljit Kaur on Monday for some documentation work. He applied for an Aadhaar card. Soon, he will apply for other documents such as a medical card. Singh is suffering from multiple diseases.
Singh told The Tribune, “Turban and untied beard are part of my identity. When the Indian Government had, in 1974, ordered Sikh soldiers to tie their beard, I refused to comply. As a result, in 1975, I was discharged from my duty after more than 20 years of service.”
He was a sergeant in the Army. For the next 10 years, he practised as a registered medical practitioner (RMP) in Ambala’s Nohni village.
About his inspiration, he said: “Sikh soldiers who fought in World Wars I and II, and my maternal grandmother inspired me to always give priority to faith.”
Singh said, “I never had interest in politics. I still have no political agenda. I want to dedicate the rest of my life in the service of underprivileged children and sick people.”
He is writing an autobiography about his struggle. “The book will be completed soon.”
He thanked a few people — Iqbal Singh Bhatti and Gurdial Singh, both from France, and Manoj Kumar from Ludhiana — for helped him in his struggle.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2H2AaVt
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