Australian Court ruling allows Sikh students to carry Kirpan to schools

Kirpan is a small dagger, which is one of the five religious symbols of Sikhs. Sikh religion teaches them to carry a dagger with them at all times

(Credit : Wikimedia)

Brisbane (Australia) – Government of Queensland had earlier banned the Kirpan to be carried by the students in the schools. Australian Sikh woman Kamaljit Kaur Athwal took the state government to court last year, claiming the Weapons Act discriminated against the carrying of her religion’s ceremonial sword, the Kirpan. The Queensland Supreme Court has ruled that the ban is unconstitutional under the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA).

(Credit : ABC news)

An initial court ruling last year dismissed the suggestion that the ban on carrying Kirpan was discriminatory. The Court of Appeal (a division of the Supreme Court) handed down a decision overturning this ruling.

For religious reasons, a Sikh person must carry five objects with them at all times as religious markers of identity. One of those is the silver bangle, or Kara, and another is the Kirpan.