Ireland police’s volunteer arm inducts first Sikh member with turban as a part of uniform

The volunteer arm of Ireland’s nationwide police pressure, the Garda Síochána Reserve, inducted its first practising Sikh member earlier this week. Ravinder Singh Oberoi, who shifted to Dublin in 1997 and has since labored in IT, stated carrying the Garda Reserves uniform with a turban was a “proud moment” for him, the Irish Times reported. In 2007, Oberoi had needed to discontinue coaching for the Garda after he was advised he wouldn’t be permitted to put on his turban with the uniform.
On Tuesday, 14 years after he first began coaching to affix the police pressure as a volunteer, Oberoi was sworn in as a member of the reserve together with 71 others on the Templemore Garda College in Tipperary.

After discontinuing his coaching in 2007, Oberoi had challenged the pressure’s uniform guidelines earlier than an Equality Tribunal and the High Court, however misplaced the case. The High Court dominated that the Garda was not responsible of worker discrimination as its members have been legally volunteers and never workers.

Badge of distinction: Meet the primary Sikh within the Garda Reserves, the nationwide police pressure of Ireland 🇮🇪
Ravinder Singh Oberoi was attested as a member of the Garda Reserves this week carrying a uniform which features a turban was a “proud moment”.https://t.co/HmPqsAJx2M pic.twitter.com/gXO59MwnBH
— Harjinder Singh Kukreja (@SinghLions) January 23, 2021
But in 2019, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris introduced a brand new algorithm, which allowed individuals belonging to non secular minorities so as to add sure objects — corresponding to a turban or scarf — to their uniform. The transfer was meant to encourage ethnic minorities to affix the pressure.

Soon after this, a jubilant Oberai underwent a refresher coaching course in Dublin between October and November. “After 14 years it was a proud moment as a Sikh man to be able to wear a turban as part of the uniform,” he advised the Irish Times, including that the occasion on Tuesday was “quite emotional”.
“My faith is quite important, especially during these Covid times, it’s what keeps you going. It’s a great honour to be able to call this country my home and now to be accepted in the attire I wear,” he advised the Irish paper. Oberoi hopes that extra Sikh women and men will comply with his lead and be a part of the pressure.