Sikh leader asked to remove turban in Rome: India calls Italian envoy

[Aka123]

New Delhi: India today took up with Italy the row over a Sikh delegation being asked to remove his turban during security checks at the Rome airport, official sources say.

Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini was called to the External Affairs Ministry over the incident, which took place on Tuesday.

Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee Chief Manjit Singh had alleged that he and members of his delegation were asked to remove their turban during frisking at the Rome International airport.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called it a "direct assault" on Sikh identity.

The Sikh delegation was finally allowed to go without removing their turbans. According to official sources, the Italian authorities intervened after the Indian mission in Rome took it up with the airport authorities as well as the Italian foreign office.

Sources said the Italian Ambassador assured that strict guidelines had been issued to officials to keep in mind the sensitivities of the large Sikh population in Italy.

According to Punjab's ruling Akali Dal, this was the third such incident at the Italian airport in the past year. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid, urging them to take up the "insult" to Sikhs in Italy.

Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur also raised it in the Lok Sabha today.


Sikh leader asked to remove turban in Rome: India calls Italian envoy | NDTV.com

 

[Peshwa]

Wait a minute...I was under the impression that we were oppressing the Sikhs and their religious rights!

 

[livingdead]

What is wrong in asking to remove turban during security check?

 

[Aka123]

What is wrong in asking to remove turban during security check?

I think it shouldn't be a problem to remove for a split second for a check, but not sure if it's absolutely forbidden in their religion.
@Abingdonboy or @Flamingo ............ can you clarify ?

 

[Abingdonboy]

What is wrong in asking to remove turban during security check?

I think it shouldn't be a problem to remove for a split second for a check, but not sure if it's absolutely forbidden in their religion.
@Abingdonboy or @Flamingo ............ can you clarify ?

Sikhs have always considered that they will never bow to anyone and thus will never remove their turban when asked to by anyone. However this is all about context and the case is that Turban is linked to Sikh identity in the sense it is very much an overt display of their religion and, in the past one hasn't been kindly ask to remove a turban for security checks but for forced conversion. So Sikhs have made a point about not removing their turbans for any man or women.


HOWEVER context is key and there is no way 99% of Sikhs have any issue with removing their turban on security grounds momentarily if they are allowed to do so in a private room/location.


I don't see this as a Sikh issue but rather just another example of the out of control VIP culture in India wherein VIPs think they are above all these sort of things. We have seen the outcry in the past in India over similar frisking/security checks performed on Indian "VIPs" specifically in the US with the likes of former president Kalam, SRK and India's ambassador to the UN (also a Sikh). For some reason Indian society is not at the point where it sees these security checks as absolutely necessary for everyone where no man women or child is above the protocals.

 

[Aka123]

Sikhs have always considered that they will never bow to anyone and thus will never remove their turban when asked to by anyone. However this is all about context and the case is that Turban is linked to Sikh identity in the sense it is very much an overt display of their religion and, in the past one hasn't been kindly ask to remove a turban for security checks but for forced conversion. So Sikhs have made a point about not removing their turbans for any man or women.


HOWEVER context is key and there is no way 99% of Sikhs have any issue with removing their turban on security grounds momentarily if they are allowed to do so in a private room/location.


I don't see this as a Sikh issue but rather just another example of the out of control VIP culture in India wherein VIPs think they are above all these sort of things. We have seen the outcry in the past in India over similar frisking/security checks performed on Indian "VIPs" specifically in the US with the likes of former president Kalam, SRK and India's ambassador to the UN (also a Sikh). For some reason Indian society is not at the point where it sees these security checks as absolutely necessary for everyone where no man women or child is above the protocals.

Thanks for clarifying!!

bdw there's another thread open, Sikhs should join Pakistan.

 

[Abingdonboy]

bdw there's another thread open, Sikhs should join Pakistan.

Bro, I've seen enough of these BS threads here on PDF to last a lifetime and shared my insight on most. I'm frankly too lazy to continuously bang my head against a brick wall with these Pakistani members. If they want to believe Sikhs want to go to Pakistan where they are actually already in the process of fleeing from- so be it. Let them live in their fantasy world and clutch at straws- I'm not going to lose any sleep over these delusions and neither should any sensible Indian.

 

[Aka123]

Bro, I've seen enough of these BS threads here on PDF to last a lifetime and shared my insight on most. I'm frankly too lazy to continuously bang my head against a brick wall with these Pakistani members. If they want to believe Sikhs want to go to India where they are actually already in the process of fleeing from- so be it. Let them live in their fantasy world and clutch at straws- I'm not going to lose any sleep over these delusions and neither should any sensible Indian.

hahahaha........... Well said..... better to keep off!!

 

[Arya Desa]

Isn't this the same CM who has royal ancestry? This guy is probably the most corrupt guy in India atm

 

[Abingdonboy]

Isn't this the same CM who has royal ancestry? This guy is probably the most corrupt guy in India atm

Parkash Singh Badal is as corrupt as they come bro, I can only hope the next round of elections sees this fool kicked out of power. The stories I've heard of him from my Punjabi freinds and family make me cringe- he is a blot on the Indian political landscape.

 

[Arya Desa]

Parkash Singh Badal is as corrupt as they come bro, I can only hope the next round of elections sees this fool kicked out of power. The stories I've heard of him from my Punjabi freinds and family make me cringe- he is a blot on the Indian political landscape.

Give me some examples. Yea I've heard this fella is the epitome of a corrupt politician.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Give me some examples. Yea I've heard this fella is the epitome of a corrupt politician.

It's pretty late here so I'll just give you the two that jump mind- he has gotten into a certain industry and has systematically, using his position as CM, destroyed all local competitors meaning he now has a monopoly in this industry in Punjab. He has used public money to by a fleet of helicopters that he leases out to private entities and pockets the revenue.

 

[Khalsa97]

Disgusting

 

[livingdead]

@Abingdonboy dont you think govt is overreacting... I mean calling envoy? We usually do for some serious issues, not trivial ones.

Imagine Indian envoy is called for something trivial, we all will be livid.

 

[kaykay]

Turban Issue: Italy says it is sensitive to concerns of Sikh Community