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On September 24, 2022, a video of a Sikh student at the University of North Carolina went viral after campus police arrested him for wearing a Kirpan, a type of dagger that holds great importance in Sikhism.
In the video, the seated Sikh student can be seen arguing with a campus police officer, who stands over him. The Kirpan can be seen hanging from a strap draped over one shoulder. Early on, the student asks the officer if he is being asked to take it off.
In the video, the student said:
"You want me to take the whole thing off?"
The officer then grabs his wrist, pulling him up.
The student can be heard saying:
"What are you doing to me?"
Once the student stands up, the officer handcuffs him. The young Sikh can be heard laughing out of frustration and disbelief as he is being detained.
In response to the incident, activists and members of the Sikh Community have condemned the administration at the University of North Carolina, demanding that they apologize for the series of events.
Responses to the University of North Carolina
The Economic Times reported that the student in the video, who was not named by the outlets, was the original poster. According to officials, the young Sikh claimed that he was handcuffed and detained for being non-compliant with the officers, choosing to try and explain the value of the Kirpan instead of removing it from his person.
In an online post, the Indian Sikh politician Manjinder Singh Sarsa condemned the actions of the University of North Carolina officers, arguing that the encounter was symptomatic of the discrimination faced by Sikhs.
In the statement, the politician commended the bravery of the student for attempting to explain the situation to the guard without resorting to aggression or violence. He also requested that Dr. S. Jaishankar, the Indian diplomat serving as Minister of External Affairs, to address the situation.
Sarsa said:
"I must appreciate the Sikh student who explained the significance of Kirpan with such faith. We demand an apology from (the University of North Carolina administration) on this racial attitude. I also urge (Dr S Jaishankar) to address the issue of discrimination faced by Sikh students at global level."
On September 24, the student posted on Twitter that officers had given him his Kirpan back.
According to the World Sikh Organization, a Kirpan is a dagger which is one of the five most important symbols in Sikhism. Other crucial symbols include long hair, a beard, a comb, a steel bracelet, and a Kachch, which is an article of clothing.
