NRI
Malaysian Sikh student asked to shave off beard
KUALA LUMPUR, January 14 2006
PTI
A Malaysian Sikh high school student has been told
by his school authorities that he must shave his beard
and moustache or move on to another school, a media
report said here on Saturday.
"I find the ruling absurd as according to our
religion a Sikh is not supposed to remove hair on
any part of his body," Jasmel Singh, father of
the 17-year-old student Ranveer Singh said, The Star
newspaper reported.
The father claimed that the school principal had
told him that if Ranveer refused to follow her instructions,
the student should get himself transferred to another
school.
A state education department official, however said,
presently Ranveer would not be forced to shave his
hair and suggested that he should instead write to
the director of schools under the education ministry.
"It is ridiculous to get permission for a religious
requirement," Ranveer's father was quoted as
saying