Explained: The significance of a province in Canada celebrating April 13 as Turban Day & More News Here

The Indian Express explains what the Act says and the significance of Canada formally recognising the turban or dastaar (a headgear which is Sikh spiritual image).

What is the Turban Day Act about?

The Turban Day Act was launched in the Manitoba House as a personal members Bill. The Bill underwent its first studying on March 24, 2022, the second studying on April 7 and the third on May 26. It lastly obtained the Royal Assent on June 1.

Diljeet Singh Brar, MLA Burrows, from the New Democratic Party (NDP), says that even as the NDP is the primary opposition celebration in the Manitoba legislative meeting, the Bill was handed unanimously and with out a single opposition. Of 57 members in the House, 35 MLAs are from Progressive Conservative, 18 from NDP and three from the Liberal Party. “Not a single vote was against the bill and it received support cutting across the party lines,” Brar stated, who hails from Muktsar of Punjab, and is an alumnus of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana.

Diljeet Singh Brar wrapping a turban on a boy in Canada.

The Act says that “each year, April 13 is to be known throughout Manitoba as Turban Day”. It additional explains that the turban is just not solely a spiritual image of utmost religion for the Sikh group, but additionally extraordinarily essential for his or her respect and dignity. The Act provides that giving an official recognition to the turban may even unfold consciousness in opposition to racism that Sikhs nonetheless face in Canada.

The Act reads: “Whereas physical symbols can be integral to religious identity for people of faith; and whereas the turban is an important symbol for many Sikh Canadians, signifying individual sovereignty,self-respect, courage and human equality; And whereas recognition of April 13 will provide a way for Manitoba to promote understanding of the significance of the turban and combat racism against Sikh Canadians..”

Why April 13?

The day of Baisakhi or Vaisakhi, which often falls on April 13 or 14 annually, commemorates the beginning of Khalsa Panth. It was on today in 1699 that the tenth Guru Gobind Singh had laid the inspiration of Khalsa Panth at Anandpur Sahib amongst his followers. Baisakhi is noticed as a main competition to rejoice the beginning of the Khalsa Panth.

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“… The practice of wearing the turban was formalized on April 13, 1699, when Guru Gobind Singh Ji formed the Khalsa Panth and pronounced the turban a pillar of the Sikh faith; and whereas Sikhs have faced violence and persecution throughout the world because of their religious identity,” the Act said.

What is the significance of the Act?

MLA Brar, who had launched the Bill, says that Sikh Canadians, regardless of contributing immensely to the event of Canada and being an integral half of the society, nonetheless face racism and discrimination at numerous ranges and therefore, a day that formally recognises turban as a half of Canada’s variety and multiculturalism was the necessity of the hour.

“Canada is known for accepting and embracing diverse cultures and faiths but even now, some Sikhs face racism and discrimination because of their turban, hair and beard. We get complaints of Sikhs facing discrimination at workplaces, in public spaces such as parks, restaurants etc, and several comments are passed at them for the way they look. Things got worse after 26/11 in the US and its repercussions are still being felt. The only answer to all this is awareness regarding the turban,” Brar stated.

He added: “Even before the Act was passed, we were already conducting awareness drives in schools by tying turbans. On April 13, 2021, all my colleagues in the Assembly had worn turbans on their heads to celebrate Baisakhi. But the feeling is entirely different when the government recognises a day officially. Now, we are planning several activities which will be conducted on April 13 from next year.”

Is there some other Act in Canada for the Sikh group?

The month of April is widely known as Sikh Heritage Month throughout Canada after the Federal Parliament handed the Bill in 2019 and it was given the Royal Assent.

Sikhs represent simply 1.4 per cent (round 5 lakh in quantity) of Canada’s whole inhabitants however maintain important positions in the federal government and political system. Not simply Sikhs, Canada stays essentially the most most popular vacation spot for Punjabis to immigrate.

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