New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Indian officials did not confirm Thursday if the ban on turbans in French public schools would come up for discussion during French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s two-day visit beginning Friday.
Answering a query, external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna refused to say if the matter would be raised during Sarkozy’s talks with Indian political leaders.
He said he could not “prejudge” what issues may be raised during bilateral discussions.
But he pointed out that the Indian government had previously taken a position on the issue. In fact, India had been seized of the matter since 2004, when France introduced a law banning all ostentatious religious symbols in French public schools.
In answer to a question raised in the Lok Sabha in 2005, the Indian government had said that it had raised the matter repeatedly with France. It was reported that the French law affected 200 Sikh students studying in French public schools. Out of them only three had been expelled, while the rest had adapted to the new law.
Further, the French government had then initiated a dialogue with the Sikh students and allowed them to wear ‘patkas’ to school.
Sikh religious groups had also met with French ambassador to India Jérôme Bonnafont to seek a personal meeting with Sarkozy.
Sarkozy arrives Friday morning with a large business delegation comprising of 70 heads of business. He has been invited by the Indian president to be the guest of honour at the annual Republic Day parade on Jan 26.
He is slated to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday afternoon and sign a Joint Statement, which will lay out a “strategic roadmap” to not only strengthen mutual cooperation but also devise a way to promote “shared and cherished values in the global arena”.
Besides, several pacts in defence, railways, science and technology including neurosciences, and education are likely to be signed during the visit.