The Sikh Coalition, a prominent US military advocacy group for Sikhs, expressed strong concern over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s proposal for strict grooming rules. The move, which could ban beards, threatens religious accommodations for Sikhs, Orthodox Jews, and Muslims who keep facial hair for faith reasons.
00:00And we're now getting some more breaking news.
00:01U.S. bans beard in army.
00:04Sikh groups are upset over this move.
00:06No beard, no turban push in U.S. army now.
00:10Is U.S. ignoring the history of Sikh valor?
00:13Akalis and SGPC oppose this move, this anti-Sikh diktat that they're calling.
00:18U.S. has banned beard and turbans and Sikh groups are now upset.
00:24So no beard and no turban is now allowed in the U.S. army.
01:00So that's the breaking news that's coming in.
01:14The U.S. has banned beard in army and no turban push also by the U.S. army.
01:23So no beard and no turban is now allowed in U.S. army from now onwards.
01:28And Sikh groups are upset over this diktat.
01:31In fact, my colleague Aman Bhadwaj is now joining us with more details on this.
01:35Aman, what prompted the U.S. authorities and the government to take this decision of banning beard and turban in the U.S. army?
01:44See, this is a modification that U.S. is trying in the army.
01:53And there's a set of rule that's been formed and 90-day time has been given.
01:59But there are several Sikhs and Punjabi community people in the army and other departments as well.
02:07So this initiative could firstly would affect the Sikhs and the Punjabis.
02:12And secondly, after the U.S. army, they fear that it will go to the other department and other sectors in U.S. as well.
02:18So SGVC has objected that Sikhs and Punjabis are contributors to their revenue, their economy.
02:26So their stance and their religious faith should be considered.
02:30Their articles of faith, five kakars, includes the beard, the turban, the karpaan and the kachara.
02:39So these five kakars should be considered for a Sikh who believes in Sikhism.
02:45So what they have now, they have now been initiating it to the gurudwaras in U.S. as well.
02:55And all over the globe that U.S. and the army officials have taken this decision.
03:01So the gurudwaras in U.S. will, in coordination to SGVC, they will take a stand on it and they'll definitely coordinate.
03:08And they'll try to convey the beliefs of Sikhism, the people who believes in Sikhism
03:14and how they are bound with the beard and turbans and all the five kakars, the articles of faith.
03:23These are the articles of their dignity, their identity and their religious sentiments as well.
03:31So SGVC have taken an initiative on it.
03:33And other parties in Punjab, Shiromani, Akali Dal, because Harsimrit Kaur Baadal, member parliament from Batinda,
03:41she has tweeted against it.
03:45And she, in favor to Sikhism and the religious beliefs of Punjab and Sikh community,
03:51she has also urged to reconsider it and also condemned it.
03:57And also they've been seeking a stand from the Indian government that the people who are in Sikh community,
04:06the Indian government should make their stand clear, should convey the sentiments of Sikh people.
04:11They are in U.S. and also other parties in Punjab, whether it's BJP or Congress,
04:16they are also condemning it, the initiative that has been taken in the U.S. Army,
04:24because they fear that it is harm to the Sikh sentiments, their dignity, their identity and their religious beliefs, Anjali.
04:32Right. Amun, also after raising these concerns, these concerns were raised by the Sikh group and the SGVC,
04:39how has the U.S. government reacted?
04:41See, there's no, they are coordinating it with the Gurdwaras in U.S. and other countries as well.
04:53So they will make their stand clear, they'll convey their stand that these five cars, their turbans, their beard,
05:02are significant of their religions and their religious sentiments are being heard.
05:08And how the Sikh people worship, how their religion follows on to this, how their identity is signified by the cars and the turbans.
05:20So that will convey to the officials in U.S. and U.S. Army and the U.S. government as well.
05:27So after that, their reaction can be seen.
05:30And if there are any changes, that can also be seen.
05:33And because they have also mentioned, as the SGVC has conveyed, that if there's any objections or plus minus or any objections to it,
05:43so that will also be considered.
05:46The reasons why they are not abided by this new norms and regulations, so that will also be heard by the U.S. Army.
05:58So we'll have to see that when after SGVC or people from Punjab, politicians or the government makes and conveys factors of the Sikh community and Sikh religion,
06:11we'll have to see that what U.S. Army or U.S. government reacts to it and how these factors which are attached to the religious sentiments and their religion are being conveyed and being taken.
06:24All right, Aman, thank you for getting us those details and for that context.
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