The participation of Translink in Vancouver’s recent Vaisakhi Parade has raised some questions. A Translink bus joined the religious procession led by the vehicle carrying the holy scriptures of the Sikhs.

The parade was organized by Vancouver’s oldest Sikh religious body, the Khalsa Deewan Society.

Vaisakhi is celebrated every year by the Sikhs around the world to only rejoice the harvesting, but also the birth of the Khalsa - the army of the pure that was raised by the tenth master of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. He had baptized five Sikhs to raise a martial force to challenge the oppression of the Islamist rulers in India.

The Translink bus displaying the sign "Special" was a part of the convoy of vehicles that also carried people who chanted hymns as it proceeded along Main Street.

Surprisingly, Translink recently declined a request by Humanist Canada to display signs carrying the slogan, "Good without God," citing rules that prohibit the promotion of theology.

It has been learnt that Translink buses have participated in previous Vaisakhi parades. If Translink is really secular and its rules prohibit the promotion of spirituality or religion, then how can it allow its bus to join a religious procession?

Why is atheism and free thinking considered politically incorrect, while the mixing of religion and this public service is not?

Either Translink should review its decision of not allowing the display of the Humanist Canada signs, or it should stop courting religious groups. There can’t be two different yardsticks for two different sections of society – the believers and the agnostics.

The Humanist Canada campaign is only aimed at making people aware that there may be no such thing as God, and is not promoting religious hatred. Its atheist campaign has also been welcomed by progressive people within the Indo-Canadian community. The Taraksheel Society, an Indian rationalist group, openly expressed its solidarity with Humanist Canada after Translink refused to display the group’s advertisement on Sea Buses.

Religion alone is not a way of life. One can chose to be a good human being even without being religious or God fearing. And no matter what you believe, the Humanist Canada message deserves equal exposure.