Sikhism in France

French Sikhs are a tiny minority in France. Numbering about 10,000, most of the Sikhs are based in Bobigny. There is one gurudwara in Bobigny.

Turban ban

French Sikhs have been in the limelight since the 2004 turban ban, banning Sikhs and other religions from sporting a headwear. This has met with anger and world wide protest by the Sikhs. At least five Sikhs wearing turbans or cloth covers for their uncut hair were barred from classrooms near Paris. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3635768.stm French Sikhs lambast school ban] ] . For 3 years the Sikhs continuously persuaded the authorities to lift the ban on the turban. After no avail Gurdial Singh opened their own private Sikh school, called Shere Punjab complexe. Currently Shingara Singh Mann is fighting the case for the Sikhs to have a photograph with their turbans for the driving licenses. Many rallys around the world are happening to protest against this ban. Most of the protests are in India.

here Punjab complexe

Shere Punjab complex is a private Sikh school in Paris. This school was created in the wake of the rule made by French authorities banning any religious symbol including the Sikh Turban. The school cost around 300.000 €, excluding building charges. [ [http://www.panthic.org/news/124/ARTICLE/3538/2007-09-12.html French Sikhs announce Opening of News Sikh School ] ] The Sikh school was built by a local Sikh entrepreneur, Gurdial Singh, whose son was excluded from a public school in 2004. The boy had refused to remove his turban in class. The school began with less than 15 pupils. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6996198.stm Sikh school sidesteps French ban ] ]

Gurdwaras

There are 2 gurdwaras in France.

*Gurudwara Singh Sabha Association, Bobigny
*Gurdwara Sahib, Bourget

Places with a significant Sikh population

*Bobigny
*Seine-Saint-Denis

References

External links