Chandigarh December 16:
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal lodged a strong protest with US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer over the discriminatory instructions of US administration to pat the turbans of Sikhs at US airports.
In a memorandum submitted to the Ambassador at US Embassy in New Delhi by SAD leaders on behalf of Mr Badal, it was pointed out that in the name of security at US airports, Indians were simply being subjected to humiliation and harassment. The US security officials at airports were highly insensitive, particularly to Sikhs, and they were humiliating Indian ministers, diplomats and particularly those belonging to Sikh community.
Protesting the humiliation of India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri, who was asked by the airport security staff at Houston to remove his turban, the memorandum pointed out that when Mr Puri refused to do so he was pulled out of the queue and made to wait for half an hour in a separate 'holding room.'
Mr Badal stressed that the US government should make their airport security officials aware through special sensitisation exercises that a turban is an inseparable part of a Sikh and nobody is allowed to touch the turban of a Sikh or ask him to remove his turban. He said while dealing with Sikhs, the US government should take special care. The government should devise 'Do's and Don'ts' while frisking Sikhs at airports or elsewhere.
It was emphasised in the memorandum that removing the turban of a Sikh was considered an outrageous act against the entire Sikh community. Mr Badal explained unlike other head coverings, it was an inextricable part of the Sikh identity and was worn by Sikhs at all times to cover their unshorn hair, a mandatory article of their faith.
Seeking the use of modern technology, Mr Badal said the US had many advanced technologies and security frisking gadgets which easily could find out without the use of physical frisking whether anyone was carrying any object inimical to the US security. The memorandum on behalf of Mr Badal was submitted by Delhi SAD president Manjit Singh GK and senior SAD leaders Avtar Singh and Onkar Singh Thapar among others.
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