Frisking row: Sikh delegation meets US ambassador Roemer in New Delhi

NEW DELHI - A Sikh delegation met United States Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer here on Wednesday to submit a memorandum to US President Barack Obama against hurting religious sentiments of the Sikh community by asking them to remove their headgear at US airports.

The Sikh community was angered after India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Hardeep Puri, was asked by the airport security staff to remove his turban as per security checking norms.

In the memorandum, the Sikh delegation appealed to Obama to not subject Sikhs to the forced removal of their turbans, saying the act is greatly unjust and constitutes a violation of human rights.

Interacting with mediapersons, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president of Delhi wing, Manjit Singh, said the delegation was pleased to meet the US Ambassador who listened patiently to their problems, and assured them of action against the injustice.

“The best part of the talks is that the American Ambassador gave us 45 minutes and listened patiently to our demands. He has assured us that the American citizens have full respect for the people belonging to the Sikh community,” said Singh.

“On the turban issue that had happened, he had said that the headgear of Hardeep Singh Puri was not removed and he has given further instructions on this issue,” he added.

The National Vice president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Onkar Singh Thapar, demanded that a law be made at the international level that symbols of religious identity should not be touched, as there were many advanced technologies to find out whether a person was carrying any inimical object.

“Due to similar identity, as the Sikhs and the Muslims both the community people wear turbans, the Sikhs are targeted somewhat, somewhere. At the international level, there should be a law that a religious symbol of any community should not be touched,” said Thapar.

“Although our sentiments are hurt, we are pleased that the Ambassador of United States of America listened patiently to us,” he added. (ANI)