French schools follow secular policy: French envoy on ban on

Defending the ban on wearing headgear in government schools, French ambassador Francois Richier today said schools there follow a stringent secular policy.
"The France government had decided that children coming to government schools should not wear visible religious sign which would be a problem to others or triggers controversy," Richier said during a visit here.
He, however, said that there was no discrimination against Sikh children in France.
"There is a regulation in primary and secondary government schools that children cannot wear visible religious signs," he said, adding "Government schools in France follow a stringent secular policy."
Christians, which comprises 70 per cent of children population in France, do not wear cross, the envoy argued, adding that Sikhs could wear turbans at public places in Universities, but not in government schools.

"You can put religious symbol in your pocket... There is no objection to it as it is not visible," he said.
Several religious bodies, including SGPC, and Punjab government have strongly opposed France's ban on turban.