Chandigarh, October 5 – Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed to Union External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaikrishan to take up the issue of a potential ban on beards in the United States Army, stressing that Sikhs should be able to practise their faith without discrimination.
In a letter to the minister, Badal expressed concern over a statement by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that could effectively prohibit Sikh personnel from maintaining beards in the US armed forces.
“Sikhs all over the world are deeply anguished and concerned over this announcement,” he wrote, urging the minister to raise the matter at an appropriate level to prevent the implementation of what he called a discriminatory decision.
Raising the significance of the issue, Badal drew attention to the five Kakaars—the Sikh religious symbols including turban, hair, and beard—urging early action by the Indian government to protect the right of Sikhs serving in the US military to maintain their religious identity.
“This decision runs against the principle of freedom to practise one’s religion, a cornerstone of US democracy,” Badal noted.
He recalled that in 2010, the US government had recognised the rights of Sikh members of the armed forces to preserve their external symbols of religious identity, following pleas by two Sikh officers, Capt. Simran Preet Singh Lamba and Dr. Maj. Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi.
Badal said that Sikhs worldwide were watching closely and hoped for a swift resolution. “Efforts should be made to ensure Sikhs can practise their faith without any discrimination,” he added.
