The National Commission for Minorities on Monday directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and chief secretary of the Delhi government to submit reports after a Sikh leader alleged that he had been stopped from boarding a metro train as he was carrying a kirpan, ANI reported.

The kirpan is a curved dagger considered essential to Sikhism.

Giani Kewal Singh, a former jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib had alleged that he was stopped by security officials at the Dwarka Sector 21 metro station on September 8 and asked to remove the kirpan, according to The Tribune.

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Following the incident, Sikh organisation Panthic Assembly lodged a protest and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.

Jaswinder Singh, the co-convener of Panthic Talmel Sangathan, a conglomerate of nearly 150 SIkh bodies, said that the incident had violated Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which allows individuals to wear religious symbols, The Tribune reported.

“Sikhs can carry up to three-feet-long kirpan in hand while on the move at public places whereas there was no restriction on the size of kirpan if it was tied to the ‘gatra’[a belt],” Jaswinder Singh had said. “On one hand, India celebrates the 75th Independence Day and on the other hand, Sikhs are not allowed to carry religious symbols.”

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On Monday, the National Commission for Minorities said they have received a complaint from Giani Kewal Singh.

“Article 25 of Constitution allows the wearing and carrying of Kirpans by Sikh persons,” it said. “National Commission for Minorities Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura sought a report on the matter from DMRC Chairman and Delhi Chief Secy and to take necessary action.”

In March, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security had also allowed Sikh employees to carry a kirpan within airport premises. It had amended a March 4 order that only allowed Sikh passengers to carry the daggers.