Sikh soldiers in the armies of Canada, Australia and Britain wear helmets, there is a ruckus in India

The Indian Army has planned to buy helmets for Sikh soldiers. Controversy is increasing on this. All Sikh leaders have expressed their displeasure by rising above the party line. However , if you look at the dress code of Sikh soldiers serving in the British, Canadian and Australian armies, it is necessary to wear a helmet. There are sufficient number of Sikh soldiers in the armies of all these countries. However, these countries have not ignored religious beliefs as well and by amending the rules have insisted on the use of different methods to cover the head. But there is a ruckus in India. Sikh organizations have given an ultimatum to the government. While everyone knows that a helmet can save a soldier's life.

On January 9, the army had placed a request for proposal to buy around 13,000 helmets for Sikh soldiers. Since then, the Jathedar of Akal Takht, President of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and many political leaders have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider. Sikh organizations have said that any attempt to put a helmet on the symbol of our identity will be seen as an attempt to destroy our identity.

The life of a young man is more important than religious beliefs

However, after researching similar rules for three foreign armies (Britain, Canada and Australia), it is known that they have amended the dress rules on a large scale, in which it is mandatory to wear a helmet in the event of war. There are sufficient number of Sikh soldiers in all these three foreign armies. The dress instructions of the Canadian military have a separate chapter on religious and spiritual considerations. In this it is clearly written that the followers of Sikhism should cover their heads with a patka or other cloth when there are situations like war, soldiers are in training or when serving in peace or with military units of many countries, Over which they will wear headdresses (including combat helmets) and other items of military equipment.

British army dress code

Similar rules are also in the British Army. A provision has been made in the dress code for Sikh soldiers to cover their head with a traditional cloth or wear the kind of cap used by divers, so that a helmet can be worn over it. Special instructions from the British Army stated that when a person's safety may be at risk because of old beliefs, they should be revised.

Australian army dress code

Similarly, there is a dress code for Sikh soldiers in the Australian Army as well. In this you can keep hair and beard long but this should not hamper your health and army work. The rules say that you can keep hair and beard. But if you have to wear things like gas mask, oxygen mask, combat/vehicle/flying helmet, hard hat, scuba mask, body armor during an operation then this should not cause a problem.

Helmet saves a young man's life

A helmet can save a young man's life. It has been mentioned in many researches that if the jawan has a helmet on his head, then the effect of the bullet reduces by 40 percent. Sometimes it comes out even after touching it. But if there is no helmet on the head, then the risk of death is 99 percent. Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that Sikhs fought bravely in 1962, 1965, 1971 war and Kargil war, but then no issue of helmet was raised.

BJP's allies are also against

Speaking to The Indian Express, former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said, "I don't know why this step of introducing helmets to Sikh soldiers has been taken." Sikh soldiers never wore helmets in war, be it World War I, World War II or Kargil War. We have always worn turbans. Even I never wore a helmet during my service in the Sikh Regiment.