Turban Minefield for France?

With the proposed ban on all religious symbols in French public schools creating uproar in the Sikh community one wonders if there was really a need for this ban?

The Sikh community, on one hand is protesting against the denial of practicing their religion while the French government is worried with the growing fundamentalist nature in its country.

Post 9/11, have we as a world become more insecure that we are scared of anything and everything? Can’t we judge a person on the basis of his education, his contribution to the society, and his behaviour towards the society than his religion?

Is wearing religious symbols a threat to the society, or limited understanding of the religion & twisting the religious sentiments for individual benefits a threat?

No religion ever promoted violence and this can be strongly brought to fore only by clear understanding of those religious scriptures and availability of rationale educational system for all. Banning would only lead to hurt sentiments and feeling of betrayal.

While at it, at one end we say that there is a violation of fundamental rights of an individual to practice one’s religion, but are we correct in expecting an alien country to be tolerant towards our religion? Aren’t we a migrant community in their land who has left their country, their people and their laws behind?

In India, we are growing less tolerant by the day towards people coming from other states… then are we correct in expecting France to be more tolerant and understanding towards our religions and sentiments while we as Indians can’t even manage the same for fellow Indians?