Sydney, Australia – August 22, 2025
A major controversy has erupted in Australia’s Sikh and Hindu communities after the City of Sydney officially banned the annual Sikh Nagar Kirtan parade scheduled for August 24, 2025, in Glenwood, western Sydney.
The Nagar Kirtan, a centuries-old Sikh tradition featuring street processions with hymns, kirtan, and community service, was being organized by the Australian Sikh Association (ASA) at Gurdwara Sahib Glenwood. However, the event was abruptly blocked following an online petition launched by the Hindu Mandir community, which gathered significant Hindu participation and was flooded with comments urging local authorities to stop the Sikh parade.
The ban has deeply angered the Sikh community, which sees it as an attack on their religious freedom. In response, calls have emerged from Sikh groups to ban Hindu entry into gurdwaras (Sikh temples) across Australia, arguing that those who work actively to suppress Sikh traditions should not be allowed to participate in Sikh religious spaces.
“This is not just about one parade—it’s about respect for our faith. Hindus lobbied against our sacred tradition, and now our community is questioning why we should continue welcoming them into our gurdwaras,” said a spokesperson for a Sikh youth organization.
Community leaders fear the move could widen divisions between Sikhs and Hindus in Australia, who until now have often shared social and cultural ties despite historical and political tensions originating in India.
The Australian Sikh Association has said it will appeal the city’s decision and is seeking legal advice, calling the ban “a dangerous precedent against multiculturalism and freedom of religion in Australia.”
Meanwhile, Sikh organizations globally have begun expressing solidarity with Australian Sikhs, with some diaspora groups warning that this may set an example for anti-Sikh actions elsewhere.
The situation remains tense as Sikh leaders deliberate on whether to move forward with restrictions on Hindu participation in gurdwara activities while also fighting to reinstate their right to hold Nagar Kirtan on Sydney’s streets.