Controversy erupts at Diljit Dosanjh’s Australia Concert: Sikh attendees denied entry for wearing kirpan
When some attendees protested the restriction, they were reportedly asked to leave, leaving many disappointed fans — who had come to see Diljit perform — with no choice but to return home.
PTC News Desk: A controversy erupted at Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s first-ever stadium concert in Sydney, Australia, after Sikh attendees were stopped from entering the venue for wearing the kirpan, a sacred religious symbol in Sikhism.
Thousands of fans had gathered at the Parramatta Stadium in Western Sydney, which was completely sold out with around 25,000 people in attendance, many of them from the Punjabi and Sikh communities. However, those who wore the kirpan as part of their faith were denied entry by security officials.
When some attendees protested the restriction, they were reportedly asked to leave, leaving many disappointed fans — who had come to see Diljit perform — with no choice but to return home.
Sydney residents Paramveer Singh Bimwal and his wife Sona Bimwal said they had purchased tickets for 200 Australian dollars (around ₹11,000 each). Despite suffering from a spinal injury, Paramveer attended the concert but was stopped at the security check when the metal detector detected his kirpan.
Security personnel asked him to remove the kirpan and place it in a box, assuring him it could be collected after the show. Finding this demand disrespectful, Paramveer chose to leave without attending the concert.
Paramveer said this was the first time he had ever been barred from entering a venue because of his kirpan. “We’ve entered public places, football matches, and schools before without any issue. But it’s disappointing that this happened at a concert by a Sikh artist like Diljit Dosanjh,” he said.
His wife, Sona, added that they did not receive any refund or official communication from the organizers. “No one contacted us. We waited until 8 p.m., but eventually decided to return home,” she said.