The surviving Mr Singh was on his way home from his local Gurdwara, so the fact that he had his kirpan to hand may well have had something more to do with that than it being an item he carries about his person on a daily basis.
roy, we are not aware of all the facts and those that made the decisions were. He is not the only one to have not been charged with murder or manslaughter because of the use of self-defence - in the case I linked to a knife was also used and an innocent bystander (a mother of two) died (definitely no kirpan involved!).
I don't think it is a controversial opinion - I understand what you are saying.
The issue about bladed weapons is that they are usually carried in order to be used. I doubt whether this was the case here.
If Mr Singh had not been attacked I believe the chances of him using his kirpan, in anger, would have been remote.
Mr Singh was carry the Kirpan legally, so there was no offence committed.
// The U.K. government has passed an amendment by which Sikhs in the country will be allowed to carry kirpans and use it during religious and cultural functions. The ‘Offensive Weapons Bill’ received the royal assent this week.
The Bill had been amended late last year to ensure that it would not impact the right of the British-Sikh community to possess and supply kirpans, or religious swords. “We have engaged closely with the Sikh community on the issue of kirpans. As a result, we have amended the Bill to ensure that the possession for religious reasons can continue,” a U.K. Home Office spokesperson said. //
I don't think anyone is touting him as any sort of hero.
Like I said, he was walking back from the Gudawara. Whilst most Sikhs carry a small, blunt kirpan as their day-to-day obligation, the kirpan which saved his life may only ever have travelled from home to Gudwara and back, again.
Had his assailants chosen another time/place to attack him, he would have had to find some other sort of weapon with which to defend himself.....or die.
I was researching,a few years back,the legality of the Scots and Sikhs carrying their religious and ceremonial sharp edged weapons in a public place. I found that they could be bought made out of rubber but still look the part.
TCL
I am aware of that fact. I am just pointing out that a ceremonial weapon need not have to be a lethal weapon.
A kirpan is supposed to be made of either iron or steel but it doesn't necessarily need a steel blade unless you want to kill or maim I would of thought.