From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a plea against an aviation security decision to allow the sikhs to carry kirpan with maximum 6-inch blade while travelling on the domestic indian aircraft.
Petitioner Hindu Sena withdrew the petition after a Bench of Justices Abdul Nazeer and J K Maheshwari granted it liberty to approach the concerned High Court. The petition had opposed anybody carry any article in the airports on the basis of religion since it poses potential threat to staff and passengers.
The petition had chllenged the orders of March 4 and 12 this year by the Bureau of Civil Avition Security allowing only the Sikh passengers to carry the kirpan and extending the same to the Sikh employees respectively.
The bureau specified that the Kirpan’s blade should not exceed 15.24 cm (6 inches) and its total length only up to 22.86 cm (9 inches) while travelling on any Indian aircraft with India, i.e. domestic flights from the domestic terminals only.
The petition contended that the bureau’s order created a loophole in the safety and security of the airport and the aircraft as also safety and security of the passengers, thereby violating the fundamental right to life and personal liberty of the public at large guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Claiming to be registered as a non-profit organisation working towards Sanathan dharma, the Hindu Sena claims it works for upliftment of the Hindu community, cow protection and building of dharmarashtra.
