(RTTNews) - In the latest incident of Indian diplomats being apparently singled out for security checks in U.S. airports, Indian envoy to the United Nations Hardeep Puri was subjected to pat-down check removing his turban at an airport in Houston, Texas.
Puri, who belongs to the Sikh community, was asked to remove his turban while the security searched him two weeks ago at the Austin airport.
Puri, who first refused to let his turban be searched, was then detained in a holding room despite the airport security being told of his diplomatic immunity, the Indian media reported.
Turban is a religiously sensitive attire for Sikh men, who are supposed to keep their hair intact and head covered in public.
India's Foreign Ministry has lodged a formal complaint with the United States over the incident.
Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna said that the Indian government had taken up the issue with the U.S. authorities.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has assured of a review of diplomatic privileges of other countries, he told reporters in capital New Delhi on Monday.
It was the second such incident involving an Indian diplomat at a U.S. airport recently.
Indian Ambassador to Washinton Meera Shankar was about to board a flight to Baltimore after visiting the Mississippi State University on December 4 when she was pulled out of an airport security line at the Jackson-Evers International airport.
A female Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent patted down her body even after the Americans were revealed of her official status and that she enjoys complete diplomatic immunity.
She was singled out for wearing a sari, the conventional attire of Indian women.
The Indian Embassy in Washington lodged strong protest to the United States over the pat-down search of a female diplomat which Krishna termed "unacceptable."
In September, India's Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel was questioned by U.S. immigration authorities at the Chicago airport while he was on a private trip and not escorted by any Indian diplomat.
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Sukhbir Badal protests humiliation of Sikh diplomat at US airport13 Dec 2010, CHANDIGARH: Sukhbir Singh Badal, President Shiromani Akali Dal and Deputy Chief Minister Punjab has taken strong exception to humiliation of Sikh Diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri, at the airport in Austin, Texas, who was asked to remove his turban even though the airport security had been told of his diplomatic status.
Badal has written to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to take up this issue strongly with US President Barack Obama to stop this practice as there was strong resentment in the Sikh Community all over the World regarding repeated humiliation of Sikhs due to patting down of their turbans at US airports. (Punjab Newsline Network)
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Indian envoy asked to remove turban at US airport
New Delhi: Days after the news that India's envoy to Washington, Meera Shankar, was patted down for wearing a sari, comes the news that India's envoy to the UN, Hardeep Puri, was also pulled out at an American airport, because of his turban.
The incident happened on November 13 at the airport in Austin, Texas.
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