To ensure the offensive weapon bill can legally safeguard the sale, possession and use of large kirpans, MPs and Sikh representatives recently met with Victoria Atkins, the Home Office Minister in charge of the OWB, going through Parliament, that aims to place restrictions on the sale and use of knives and corrosive substances like acids.
The government is trying to put knives and acids as restricted objects and the bill promises to have cross party support. The community is trying to ensure that this bill does by default criminalise the possession and use of larger kirpans, as they are commonly used on Sikh religious occasions and often kept at home. Kirpans are one of the essential articles of the faith, worn by Sikhs. They are usually small daggers, but during ceremonies, big ones are in use or display. MPs from the All Party Parliamentary Group for the UK Sikhs, led by chair Preet Gill, Pat Mcfadden and Dominic Grieve raised the issue with Victoria Atkins, the Home Office Minister in charge of the bill.
Following the latest meeting with the Minister on wed 21 November, she made clear the Government would bring forward its own amendment to ensure the status quo would prevail and there would be no change in the law relating to the larger kirpan. As we went to press, the bill underwent a third and final reading in the House of Commons. Following the meeting Pat McFadden, Labour MP for Wolverhampton South East, told Asian Voice, “I don’t think the Government ever really intended to restrict the use or ownership of the kirpan but the way the bill is currently drafted that could have been the effect.
“I am glad the Minister has listened to our representations and said that the Government will now bring forward an amendment to the bill to ensure that the status quo prevails and that there is no change on the rules governing the ownership or use of the kirpan. “This means my Sikh constituents and the Sikh community throughout the UK, can continue to practise their religion freely. This is a good example of cross party working to ensure a sensible outcome.
“ I am grateful to Preet Gill MP, Chair of the APPG for UK Sikhs, to Dominic Grieve MP and to the other MPs who supported the case we were making.”
