Rajya Sabha condemns removal of Sikhs' turbans overseas

The Rajya Sabha Wednesday condemned the incidents of forcing Sikhs to remove their turbans in the name of security, particularly in Italy.

Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan joined the members during Zero Hour in condemning the recent incidents where disrespect has been shown to Sikhs' turbans.

The issue was raised by Shiromani Akali Dal member Naresh Gujral, who referred to the latest incident involving Jet Airways commander Ravijodh Singh at Milan airport.

"The entire House joins in condemning this incident and this should be conveyed to the government," Khan said.

Gujral said Sikhs are being publicly humiliated and the community is outraged.

"This has outraged the entire Sikh community worldwide," he said, seeking the government's intervention in checking the recurrence of such incidents.

He said the Government should urgently summon the Italian Ambassador and convey to him in unequivocal terms the anger of the community over the matter.

"The government has to ensure that the brave Sikhs are not insulted again and again," he said.

Terming the incidents as "highly condemnable", deputy leader of the BJP S S Ahluwalia said the turban signifies the pride of Sikhs and cannot be removed and screened through X-rays like caps.

"It should be condemned", he said, adding that this is happening to the citizens of the country where the Prime Minister, a Sikh, wears a turban.

"The government is not taking it seriously," Ahluwalia said and referred to other such incidents including one involving India's former Ambassador in the US Meera Shankar.

Ahluwalia said the government should take immediate steps to ensure that Sikhs are not being humiliated anywhere in the world on the ground of security and forced to remove their turban.

Claiming that Italy's famous cheese production is in the hands of Sikhs, he said the government should ensure that the pride of the turban must be protected and the Italian Ambassador be summoned to convey the feelings of the Sikhs.

Complaining of such incidents in Italy, the BJP leader said if such a thing happens again then India should mete out the same treatment to Italian diplomats that is given to suspected "mafia".

Akali Del leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also echoed similar sentiments and said the issue was raised several times and the government too has given assurances many times in this regard, but the incidents were continuing.