sikh Fans Barred From Diljit Dosanjhโ Concert โคOverโค Religious Dagger Policy
SYDNEY – Several fans of Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh were denied entry to his Western Sydney concert on Saturday after venue security refused to allowโ them to bring their kirpans – ceremonial daggers central to โSikh faith – inside. The incident has sparked โoutrage and โขdisappointment within the Sikh community, โwith attendees describing the ban as “hurtful” and a lack of cultural sensitivity.
Paravinder Singh and his friend wereโข among those turned away fromโฃ the concert. “If I’m not allowed in with the article โคof faith, we won’t be entering or compromising our faithโฆ we’d rather lose the money because it takes effort to follow what you โฃbelieve in,” Singh explained. Harman Singh โand Manmohan Singh experienced the same issue, with Manmohan, 19, stating, “It’s not fair. Diljit is also from the Sikh community.”
The kirpan โis one of โfive โarticles of faith worn by initiatedโ Sikhs, representing aโ commitmentโ to justice, equality, and defense of the vulnerable. It is โฃnot intended โคas a โขweapon, according โขto community representatives like Mr. Grewal, who compared it to the mace carried in parliament asโ a โขsymbol of authority. “the Kirpanโ is aโค Sikhโค article of faithโฆ that symbolises the solemn duty to defend the weak and oppressed, upholdโฃ justice and stand for righteousness,” he said.
Attendees expressed frustration that the venue’s policy regarding the kirpan was not communicated prior to ticket purchase. harman Singh, 25, said, “They should’ve โmentioned it before we bought the tickets. If it’s โคa private venue, they should โขmention it.” Both couples ultimately decided toโ forgo โคthe concert and returnโค home rather than remove their religious articles.