S.A.S Nagar, 1 September 2023: The UNITED SIKHS legal team has sent a legal notice to the makers of Bollywood film Yaarian-2 and its production house T-Series for a seemingly deliberate attempt to make a mockery of the Kirpan – a sacred article of Sikh faith. The Kirpan is one of the Panj Kakaar’s (5 articles of faith) mandatory for initiated Sikhs.
In the film, Actor Meezaan Jafri is shown wearing a Kirpan with a Gatra (a strap worn across the body over the shoulder to carry the Kirpan). As per the Sikh Rehat Maryada (Sikh Code of Conduct), a Kirpan, along with the other Kakaars, is worn by a practicing Sikh who has taken Khande-Ki-Pahul (formal initiation into the faith) or is practicing to become a Sikh. But the scenes in the film reflect a clear violation of the Sikh tenets and have deeply hurt the sentiments of the community around the world.
Wearing the Kirpan without following the Sikh Rehat Maryada, amounts to mockery of the Sikh faith – an attack on Sikh values and sacred traditions of the faith. Wearing Kirpan in this manner is also a violation of the Constitution of India, as the Article 25(2) Explanation I of the Constitution of India states that wearing and carrying Kirpan is deemed “to be included in the profession of Sikh religion.”
The UNITED SIKHS legal team has demanded, in the letter sent to the producers and director to “remove all scenes in the film ‘Yaariyan 2’ in which the actor is shown wearing the Kirpan, and also to cease and desist from making movies demeaning and insulting to the Sikh Faith and the Panj Kakaars. In addition, the notice also demands the filmmakers to tender an unconditional apology to Shri Akal Takhat Sahib in Amritsar.
Referring to the incident, UNITED SIKHS Director Ranjit Singh said, “It is highly unfortunate that the Kirpan, which is sacrosanct to Sikhs, has been shown in such a frivolous manner in the film, which is a shocking violation of the Sikh Rehat Maryada. It seems to be a premeditated attempt to mock, demean and insult our sacred traditions. Sikh community around the world demands that the filmmakers apologize for this disgraceful act, and make the necessary changes as recommended by the legal team.”
