ISSUE
Friday, August 22, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 73
A clarity in the law with Government and its agencies on where and when Sikhs can wear a kirpan could have prevented the unfortunate incident occurred at the Cricket World Cup game in Auckland on Saturday 14 March 2015.
On being contacted by the members of the Sikh community I was available at Eden Park and tried coordinating both ends to ease the situation. It is not a rocket science for ICC or any agency to understand that a kirpan is a ceremonial religious form of symbol, a small blunt object that every baptized Sikh has to wear.
New Zealand requires a clear legislation that Sikhs are not discriminated against in being prevented from wearing the kirpan in public, to prevent the situation which occurred at the Cricket World Cup game where seven Sikhs were banned from entering Eden Park while some including a Member of Parliament were able to enter.
In other countries, such as India, Canada, the United Kingdom and some Australian states, legislation has been passed recognising this right.
Labour Party has been working closely on behalf of Sikh community from last year on this issue and had taken this matter up with the Government. In Sept 2014 Labour MP Hon Phil Goff’s had queried the then acting Minister of Justice Hon Chris Finlayson whether legislation was needed to allow the wearing in a public place is of a kirpan (ceremonial dagger) which is a requirement of their religion? Mr. Finlason replied that no legislation was required as Sikhs could without legal impediment possess a kirpan in a public place. If we had to believe the assurance of this Government, the Sikhs wearing the kirpan should not have been barred on entering Eden Park to watch India – Zimbabwe Cricket World Cup game.
Ethnic diversity is part of our reality in New Zealand, there is no place to view migrant communities with suspicion. The Government needs to seriously look into drafting the legislation, the policy should be to allow maximum freedom of ethnic communities to practise their religious beliefs, consistent with the safety of the community.
Sunny Kaushal was the Labour Party Candidate in 2011 and 2014
A clarity in the law with Government and its agencies on where and when Sikhs can wear a kirpan could have prevented the unfortunate incident occurred at the Cricket World Cup game in Auckland on Saturday 14 March 2015.
On being contacted by the members of the Sikh community I was available at...
A clarity in the law with Government and its agencies on where and when Sikhs can wear a kirpan could have prevented the unfortunate incident occurred at the Cricket World Cup game in Auckland on Saturday 14 March 2015.
On being contacted by the members of the Sikh community I was available at Eden Park and tried coordinating both ends to ease the situation. It is not a rocket science for ICC or any agency to understand that a kirpan is a ceremonial religious form of symbol, a small blunt object that every baptized Sikh has to wear.
New Zealand requires a clear legislation that Sikhs are not discriminated against in being prevented from wearing the kirpan in public, to prevent the situation which occurred at the Cricket World Cup game where seven Sikhs were banned from entering Eden Park while some including a Member of Parliament were able to enter.
In other countries, such as India, Canada, the United Kingdom and some Australian states, legislation has been passed recognising this right.
Labour Party has been working closely on behalf of Sikh community from last year on this issue and had taken this matter up with the Government. In Sept 2014 Labour MP Hon Phil Goff’s had queried the then acting Minister of Justice Hon Chris Finlayson whether legislation was needed to allow the wearing in a public place is of a kirpan (ceremonial dagger) which is a requirement of their religion? Mr. Finlason replied that no legislation was required as Sikhs could without legal impediment possess a kirpan in a public place. If we had to believe the assurance of this Government, the Sikhs wearing the kirpan should not have been barred on entering Eden Park to watch India – Zimbabwe Cricket World Cup game.
Ethnic diversity is part of our reality in New Zealand, there is no place to view migrant communities with suspicion. The Government needs to seriously look into drafting the legislation, the policy should be to allow maximum freedom of ethnic communities to practise their religious beliefs, consistent with the safety of the community.
Sunny Kaushal was the Labour Party Candidate in 2011 and 2014
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