Going head to head
Author: Sanchita Sen Date: 01 Feb 2008
Traffic police fine 19-yr-old Sikh for not wearing helmet even though Motor Vehicles Act exempts Sikhs from the rule. ACP says he will check Karnataka rulebook
No Choice: Harneet Singh Sabharwal pic/madhusudan maney
The traffic police have sent Harneet Singh Sabharwal a letter asking him to pay a fine of Rs 100 for not wearing a helmet while riding a two-wheeler.

What they have forgotten is that the Motor Vehicles Act exempts Sikhs from wearing any protective headgear because of their turbans. Additional commissioner of police (traffic and security) K C Ramamurthy said he needed to check the rulebook to see if Sikhs in Karnataka — where the helmet rule is compulsory — are exempt.

Rules are rules

“It is not compulsory to wear a helmet in all states. I will check the Karnataka rulebook to see what it says,” Ramamurthy said.

He also said he would send a circular to the department if an exemption existed. “Even if it does not, I will write to the state government asking for the exemption. We do not want to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments,” he said.

He promised to look in the matter if Harneet got in touch with him.

They are exempt

According to traffic expert

M N Srihari, Sikhs everywhere are exempt from the helmet rule. “It comes under the Indian Motor Vehicles Act, so it is applicable to every state in India,” he said.

Syed Shafi Ahmed, secretary, Regional Transport Authority, too said the rule did not apply to Sikhs. “Since they wear turbans, it is obviously impossible for them to wear a helmet on top of that,” he explained.

Still stopped

Harneet said this was not the first time he was charged for not wearing a helmet.

Other Sikhs have also faced this problem, especially around malls such as The Forum and Bangalore Central.

“I have been riding my bike for a year, but the constables just refuse to understand that I cannot wear a helmet. It’s annoying to explain the same thing every time. I get late very often too. When I am in a hurry to get to college or the Gurudwara the cops catch hold of me and expect me to pay a fine for something that is not actually an offence in my case,” said the 19-year-old.

Mid-Day - Article

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~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

lol

the guy doesnot wear turban, my guess from the picture

the rule book says - sikhs wearing turban are exempt

anyways - he got his 5 minutes of fame

btw, if a Sikh is not wearing a turban, why can't he wear helmet?

its for his own safety !!!!!

i have seen young guys wearing patkas or very small safas driving bikes without helmets

when caught they use soem logic to reason which is completely illogical

same bouraah was created by Sikh women in chandigarh and punjab

they refused to wear helmet even though none of them wore turbans

the motor authority rules state that prson wearing a headgear, sufficient for protection, like the Sikh turban, are exempt from helmets

Amar ji, sikhs are considered aliens down south.I had this experience in Mysore esp. in Vrindavan Gardens. They stare and laugh that make you have cramps in stomach.
Many T companies have their offices there and economy of the state is flourishing and they can afford to neglect anyone they like. Further christianity is taking hold in the weaker sections.
Conversions offer some pecuniary benefits as well.

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~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

outside of bangalore, there are what, like 5 sikhs in karnataka? i'm not surprised they didn't know the rules.

also, i have to agree... the law is so that sikhs can wear turbans. if they're not wearing turbans, they should wear helmets.

sikhs recently won the right to ride with their turban instead of a helmet in parts of Canada. but they must be wearing a turban, otherwise they're subject to the same laws as everyone else.

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<<Amar ji, sikhs are considered aliens down south.I had this experience in Mysore esp. in Vrindavan Gardens. They stare and laugh that make you have cramps in stomach.
Many T companies have their offices there and economy of the
state is flourishing and they can afford to neglect anyone they like. >>>

either you must be oddly dressed or something.....

i know about bangalore, hyderabad and chennai

sikhs are a sizeable population there, especially those who waer turbans

and quite sizeable number work in those tech companies too

your second sentence seems to point out that you think that southern states don't know about sikhs or discriminate with them, which is incorrect


the chief of police of karnataka is a Sikh, their head of income tax is Sikh and quite senior officals in hyderabad & warangal are sikhs

jasleen ji

bidar in karantaka has sizeable population of sikhs, in fact they are 20% population of the city

apart from that most of major cities in karnataka have decent number of sikhs

trust me, if guessing by this guy's surname, he might be relative of the head of gurudwara committee in bangalore. the local gurudwara committee elections are near

Amar you want to say that sikhs that wear patka should wear helmets.

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ofcourse yes



and i am a supporter enforcement of law to make pillion riders wear helmets


now some might give a logic that the joora is too big...etc etc etc

here is a simple answer - the law is clear and for their safety and other's convenience. either wear turban while driving, or buy a helmet that fits, or give up driving a bike

sikhs with hair should consider wearing this, when on the bike:

(please note the smoothe and aerodynamic curves; chain mail sold separately)

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"The white rabbit went that way"... Cheshire Cat

...Whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.... -Isaac Newton

btw

how does helmet link up with Sikhism?

turban and helmet confict is fine...but what is the great anti helmet feeling?

hmm

let me guess...

must be some rehetnama....


lemme google...

ok....

here is it..

the root cause of all senseless behavior....

"Sikh Hoay Sir Topi Tarey
Saat Janam Kushti Hoay Mareh"

"A Sikh of the Guru, who wears a hat/cap (something other than a turban)
Will be reborn again 7 times in diseased lifeforms."
Rehatnama Bhai Prehlad Singh ji, p.65


so....................

this gets us to the root cause of all this hooo haaa haaa

sikhs should wear helmets... and that picture is living proof that sikhs wore helmets without turbans (to protect themselves).

i dont think cloth will protect your head if its pounded against pavement at a significant velocity. the turban offers minimal protection at best.

someone should design a modern helmet like the one in the pick and make a few $ while they are at it.

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"The white rabbit went that way"... Cheshire Cat

...Whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.... -Isaac Newton