10) Nobody and no law has the power to question the necessity of the beliefs of a religion

God save me from ego, but I did have one such experience. With an assured four year scholarship I did not have to face the problem of finding a job, but the keeping of my 'kirpan' in Athens was legally objectionable. I was warned about it by some Greek friends here
within a few days of my arrival.

My people at home in Punjab, to my great dismay suggested that I need not be 'very rigid' and 'fanatic' about it. I asked the Indian counsellor (who happened to be a Greek) to give me a certificate that 'kirpan' is a necessary symbol of my religion. He neither knew about it nor did he understand. He tried to argue a little by saying what would it matter if I did not keep it.

It took me less than two minutes to make him act. I said that the law allows freedom to adopt and practice the religion of one's choice. Nobody and no law have the power to question the necessity of the beliefs of another religion.

He forwarded my application to the Indian Embassy at Belgrade where from by the grace of God a certificate did arrive in due course. Then I met the chief of the Athens police service after one of my professors had helpfully introduced me to him. The police chief said that whatever the particular case, the law here would not allow one to go about with the 'Gatra' and 'Kirpan'.