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Sarika Watkins-Singh
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Sikh girl wins bangle case
29/ 7/2008
A SIKH teenager excluded from school for breaking a "no jewellery" rule by refusing to remove a wrist bangle which is central to her faith was a victim of unlawful discrimination, a judge ruled today.
As a result of the judgment in the High Court, Sarika Watkins-Singh, 14, will be returning to Aberdare Girls' School in South Wales in September - wearing the Kara, a slim steel bracelet.
Her lawyers had told Mr Justice Silber that the Kara was as important to her as it was to England spin bowler Monty Panesar, who has been pictured wearing the bangle.
Sarika, of mixed Welsh and Punjabi origin, of Cwmbach, near Aberdare, was at first taught in isolation and eventually excluded for refusing to take off the bangle in defiance of the school's policy, which prohibits the wearing of any jewellery other than a wrist watch and plain ear studs.
Today, the judge declared that the school was guilty of indirect discrimination under race relations and equality laws.
After the judgment, Sarika's mother, Sinita, 38, said: "We are over the moon. It is just such a relief."
Anna Fairclough, Liberty's legal officer who was representing the Singhs, said: "This common sense judgment makes clear you must have a very good reason before interfering with someone's religious freedom.
"Our great British traditions of religious tolerance and race equality have been rightly upheld today."
Afterwards, a spokeswoman for the family hailed it as a "common sense" judgment.
Sarika said: "I am overwhelmed by the outcome and it's marvellous to know that the long journey I've been on has finally come to an end.
"I'm so happy to know that no-one else will go through what me and my family have gone through."
She added: "I just want to say that I am a proud Welsh and Punjabi Sikh girl."
The news has been welcomed by leading Muslim youth organisation, Ramadhan Foundation.
Chief executive of the Foundation, Mohammed Shafiq said the judgement was a victory for the Sikh community.
He said: "It sends a powerful message that people of faith should be able to dress according to their religious teaching in a free society.
"We congratulate the Sikh community on this important victory and urge other people of faith to continue to challenge decisions that discriminate against them."
He added: "I do however question consistency from the courts, when they reject a Muslims girl's right to wear the full Islamic dress yet on other cases like today they accept the right of the individual. This consistency needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
"These conflicting decisions cause resentment and fear between communities, I believe that all faiths should be treated equally and if people wish to dress according to their religious beliefs they should be free to do this."
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30/07/2008 at 14:40
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